SoHo is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan , New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores. The area's history is an archetypal example of inner-city regeneration and gentrification, encompassing socio-economic, cultural, political and architectural developments. Almost all of SoHo is included in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District, which was designated by the New York City Landmarks preservation Commission in 1973, extended in 2010, and was listed on the and declared a National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It consists of 26 blocks and approximately 500 buildings, many of them incorporating cast iron architectural elements. The side streets in the district are notable for being paved with Belgian blocks. The name SoHo refers to the area being "SOuth of HOuston (Street)". This naming convention has become a model for the names of new and emerging neighborhoods in New York such asNoHo, for "NOrth of HOuston Street", TriBeCa ("TRIangle BElow CAnal Street"),Nolita ("NOrth of Little ITAly"), NoMad ("NOrth of MADison Square"), and DUMBO ("Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass").