Meatpacking District, Manhattan
Encyclopedia
The Meatpacking District is a neighborhood in the New York City
borough
of Manhattan
which runs roughly from West 14th Street
south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River
east to Hudson Street
, although recently it is sometimes considered to have extended north to West 16th Street and east beyond Hudson Street
.
s and packing plants
, but by the 1980s, it had become known as a center for drug dealing and prostitution, particularly transsexuals. Concurrent with the rise in illicit sexual activity, the sparsely populated industrial area became the focus of the city's burgeoning gay
BDSM
subculture; loosely embracing the business model of disco impresario David Mancuso
, over a dozen sex clubs — including such notable ones as The Anvil, The Manhole, and the heterosexual-friendly Hellfire Club
— flourished in the area. At the forefront of the scene was the members-only Mineshaft on Little West 12th Street. A preponderance of these establishments were under the direct control of the Mafia
or subject to NYPD protection rackets. In 1985, The Mineshaft was forcibly shuttered by the city at the height of AIDS
preventionism.
Beginning in the late 1990s, the Meatpacking District went through a transformation. High-end boutiques catering to young professionals and hipsters
opened, including Diane von Furstenberg
, Christian Louboutin
, Alexander McQueen
, Stella McCartney
, Theory
, Ed Hardy, Puma
, Moschino
, ADAM by Adam Lippes
, Jeffrey New York,the Apple Store; restaurants such as Pastis and Buddha Bar; and nightclub
s such as Tenjune
, One, G-Spa, Cielo, APT, Level V, and Kiss and Fly. In 2004, New York magazine
called the Meatpacking District "New York’s most fashionable neighborhood".
In September 2003, after three years of lobbying by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
(LPC) established the Gansevoort Market Historic District. The LPC granted only part of their request: the new district excluded the neighborhood's waterfront, and the restrictions associated with the designation did not apply to the 14-story luxury hotel (the Hotel Gansevoort
) which opened in April 2004. In 2007 the Meatpacking District website opened to serve the community and those wanting to know more about the area. The site is intended to provide general news and business information. Also in 2007, GVSHP announced that New York State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash had approved adding the entire Meatpacking District, not just the city-designated Gansevoort Market Historic District, to the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places
. The district was listed on the National Register on May 30, 2007, with 140 buildings, two structures, and one other site included.
In June 2009, the first segment of the High Line linear park, a former elevated freight railroad built under the aegis of Robert Moses
, opened to great reviews in the District and the southern portion of Chelsea
to the north as a greenway
modeled after Paris' Promenade Plantée
. Thirteen months earlier, the Whitney Museum of American Art
announced it would build a second, Renzo Piano
-designed home on Gansevoort Street, just west of Washington Street and the southernmost entrance to the High Line.
Also in 2009, developers proposed a glass-walled office tower and retail space for 437 West 13th Street that was larger than zoning allowed. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation strongly opposed the project, as increasing the scale of buildings in the area the sense of openness in the area would be diminished and the low-scale character of the neighborhood would be eroded. In the end, the developers were not granted all of the variances that they had hoped for, but a glass tower will be built.
In October 2010, after over two years of campaigning by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and other community groups, the C6-1 Rezoning was passed in the area bound by Greenwich
, Washington
, West 10th
, and West 12th Streets. It imposed an 80-foot height limit and ended commercial bonuses for hotels, both of which will help the continued preservation of the area.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
which runs roughly from West 14th Street
14th Street (Manhattan)
14th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The street rivals the size of some of the well-known avenues of the city and is an important business location....
south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
east to Hudson Street
Hudson Street (Manhattan)
Hudson Street is a north/south oriented street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Running from TriBeCa to Greenwich Village and through Hudson Square, Hudson Street has two distinct one-way traffic patterns that meet at Abingdon Square, at the street's intersection with Eighth Avenue and...
, although recently it is sometimes considered to have extended north to West 16th Street and east beyond Hudson Street
Hudson Street (Manhattan)
Hudson Street is a north/south oriented street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Running from TriBeCa to Greenwich Village and through Hudson Square, Hudson Street has two distinct one-way traffic patterns that meet at Abingdon Square, at the street's intersection with Eighth Avenue and...
.
History
In 1900, Gansevoort Market was home to 250 slaughterhouseSlaughterhouse
A slaughterhouse or abattoir is a facility where animals are killed for consumption as food products.Approximately 45-50% of the animal can be turned into edible products...
s and packing plants
Meat packing industry
The meat packing industry handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock...
, but by the 1980s, it had become known as a center for drug dealing and prostitution, particularly transsexuals. Concurrent with the rise in illicit sexual activity, the sparsely populated industrial area became the focus of the city's burgeoning gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
subculture; loosely embracing the business model of disco impresario David Mancuso
David Mancuso
David Mancuso created the popular "by invitation only" parties in New York City later known as "The Loft". The first party "Love Saves The Day" was in 1970...
, over a dozen sex clubs — including such notable ones as The Anvil, The Manhole, and the heterosexual-friendly Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club
The Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century, and was more formally or cautiously known as the "Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe"...
— flourished in the area. At the forefront of the scene was the members-only Mineshaft on Little West 12th Street. A preponderance of these establishments were under the direct control of the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
or subject to NYPD protection rackets. In 1985, The Mineshaft was forcibly shuttered by the city at the height of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
preventionism.
Beginning in the late 1990s, the Meatpacking District went through a transformation. High-end boutiques catering to young professionals and hipsters
Hipster (contemporary subculture)
Hipsters are a subculture of young, recently settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with musical interests mainly in alternative rock that appeared in the 1990s...
opened, including Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg, formerly Princess Diane of Fürstenberg , is a Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon of Fürstenberg...
, Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin is a French footwear designer whose father is cabinetmaker Roger Louboutin and homemaker mother Irene. His siblings include three sisters, no brothers. Landscape architect Louis Benech has been his partner since 1997. Louboutin launched his line of high-end women's shoes in...
, Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen
Lee Alexander McQueen, CBE was a British fashion designer and couturier best known for his in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring, his tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his collections, as well as the emotional power and raw energy of his provocative fashion shows...
, Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney
Stella Nina McCartney is an English fashion designer. She is the daughter of former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney and the late photographer and animal rights activist, Linda McCartney.-Early life:...
, Theory
Theory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
, Ed Hardy, Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
, Moschino
Moschino
Moschino is an Italian fashion design house and manufacturer of women's, men's and children's fashion.-History:The brand was originally created in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino...
, ADAM by Adam Lippes
Adam Lippes
Adam Lippes is an American fashion designer. Mr. Lippes is the Founder and Creative Director of the eponymous fashion collection ADAM.-Life and career:...
, Jeffrey New York,the Apple Store; restaurants such as Pastis and Buddha Bar; and nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s such as Tenjune
Tenjune
Tenjune is a nightclub in New York City's Meatpacking District, located on Little West 12th Street in Manhattan. The music played in the club ranges from hip-hop to techno....
, One, G-Spa, Cielo, APT, Level V, and Kiss and Fly. In 2004, New York magazine
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
called the Meatpacking District "New York’s most fashionable neighborhood".
Preservation
By 2003, only 35 of the 250 slaughterhouses and packing plants present a century earlier remained in the area.In September 2003, after three years of lobbying by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is a non-profit organization that seeks to preserve the architectural heritage and cultural history of several neighborhoods of New York City: Greenwich Village, the East Village, the Far West Village, the South Village, Gansevoort Market,...
, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
(LPC) established the Gansevoort Market Historic District. The LPC granted only part of their request: the new district excluded the neighborhood's waterfront, and the restrictions associated with the designation did not apply to the 14-story luxury hotel (the Hotel Gansevoort
Hotel Gansevoort
The Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC Hotel or Hotel Gansevoort is a luxury hotel located at 18 Ninth Avenue between Little West 12th Street and 13th Street in the Meatpacking District neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The building, which was completed in 2004, was designed by Stephen B. Jacobs...
) which opened in April 2004. In 2007 the Meatpacking District website opened to serve the community and those wanting to know more about the area. The site is intended to provide general news and business information. Also in 2007, GVSHP announced that New York State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash had approved adding the entire Meatpacking District, not just the city-designated Gansevoort Market Historic District, to the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The district was listed on the National Register on May 30, 2007, with 140 buildings, two structures, and one other site included.
In June 2009, the first segment of the High Line linear park, a former elevated freight railroad built under the aegis of Robert Moses
Robert Moses
Robert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, Rockland County, and Westchester County, New York. As the shaper of a modern city, he is sometimes compared to Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of...
, opened to great reviews in the District and the southern portion of Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
to the north as a greenway
Greenway
-People:* Barney Greenway , British death metal vocalist* Brian Greenway , Canadian guitarist and vocalist* Chad Greenway , American football player* Francis Greenway , Australian architect...
modeled after Paris' Promenade Plantée
Promenade Plantée
The Promenade plantée or the Coulée verte is a narrow, 4.7 km parkway in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, France.- Overview :The Promenade plantée is a extensive green belt that follows the old Vincennes railway line...
. Thirteen months earlier, the Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
announced it would build a second, Renzo Piano
Renzo Piano
Renzo Piano is an Italian architect. He is the recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, AIA Gold Medal, Kyoto Prize and the Sonning Prize...
-designed home on Gansevoort Street, just west of Washington Street and the southernmost entrance to the High Line.
Also in 2009, developers proposed a glass-walled office tower and retail space for 437 West 13th Street that was larger than zoning allowed. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation strongly opposed the project, as increasing the scale of buildings in the area the sense of openness in the area would be diminished and the low-scale character of the neighborhood would be eroded. In the end, the developers were not granted all of the variances that they had hoped for, but a glass tower will be built.
In October 2010, after over two years of campaigning by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and other community groups, the C6-1 Rezoning was passed in the area bound by Greenwich
Greenwich Street (Manhattan)
Greenwich Street is a north-south street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It extends from the intersection of Ninth Avenue and Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District at its northernmost end to its southern end at Battery Park, interrupted between Vesey and Liberty Streets by the...
, Washington
Washington Street (Manhattan)
Washington Street is a north-south street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Running from 14th Street in the Meatpacking District at its northernmost end to its southern end at Hubert Street in TriBeCa, Washington Street is, for its entire length, the westernmost street in lower Manhattan...
, West 10th
10th Street (Manhattan)
10th Street is an east-west street from the West Village neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan to Avenue D in the East Village. East of Sixth Avenue it changes heading, from east-northeast to east-southeast. Traffic is eastbound as far as Tompkins Square Park, of which it marks...
, and West 12th Streets. It imposed an 80-foot height limit and ended commercial bonuses for hotels, both of which will help the continued preservation of the area.