East 8 St, NoHo

East 8th, as it runs through Noho, is a really commercial street. There is a lot going on and a ton of people constantly milling through this area. It's a nice area and a desirable area, real estate-wise. But, I think it's a little to loud, crowded and dirty for the price. The apartment buildings aren't fantastic from the outside -- though some are amazing on the inside. And, the area isn't quaint by any stretch of the imagination. It's not bad at all and it's centrally located. It's just not my favorite.
There are a lot of little, funky shops on East 8th as it goes through Noho (much like 8th through the rest of the city). I've never actually shopped in any of them; but, then again, I never wanted a panda shaped hat or disco shoes. There's a building on the southwest corner of Broadway and 8th that used to be the site of a famous hotel called the Sinclair. It was a big hang for current and would-be Presidents for some reason. Now, it's a monstrous and atrocious apartment complex that is an eyesore on what would otherwise be a decent looking street.
There's a gorgeous building on the opposite side of Broadway that used to be the biggest department store in New York --try to ignore the massive Kmart that is now in there. Wanamaker's Department store opened at the turn of the 20th century and was around for about 50 years. The building is gorgeous and you can imagine just how beautiful the inside must have been when it was the old world equivalent of a Barney's. Across the street from the Wanamaker is another cool looking building, The Astor Place Hotel. I wouldn't stay here but the outside of the building is very old world and grand. The hotel is on the site of the Astor Opera House. This was one of the biggest theatres in New York and the site of the start of the Astor Place Riots. In 1849, a mob broke out in front of this theatre as they were protesting the performance of MacBeth by an English actor. Edwin Forrest, a very famous American actor at the time, was performing the same role a few blocks away, and people were not having that. Thirty people were killed in the riot right on this street. I can't even imagine people getting that juiced up over MacBeth these days; and, in some ways, I think it's kind of cool that people used to.
The next intersection is what I consider to be the port hole to hell. It is where, seriously, all of the crazies seem to congregate (especially at the Astor Place Starbucks). It's a pretty rare day when you walk through this intersection and don't encounter some yelling at himself or shaving someones back in the Starbucks -- I've seen that, no joke. There's a weird little cube sculpture that actually spins so you can give that a whirl if you're not a germaphobe. And, there's a subway platform that was reconstructed to look the old timey ones right here too. It's a cool intersection with a ton of people and a lot going on. But, you just have to be aware that part of that is the crazytown contingency.
The block across Astor Place is taken up completely by Cooper Union. Cooper Union is a free school for geniuses that was established in 1859. It is a stunning school and it really is completely free. I think this is one of the prettiest buildings downtown. And, apparently, the main building of Cooper Union is where all of the bodies were taken to be identified after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in the early 20th century. A lot of students report feeling like they're choking when they're inside the building. The northeast corner of 8th and 3rd is the site of the first recorded Mob hit in New York City in 1888. If you're into haunted stuff, this building is a big one. If you're into haunted stuff, this block is a big one.