2. The Meatpacking District

The Meatpacking District, located west of 9th Avenue and south of 14th Street, once housed 250 slaughterhouses and packing plants. By 1930 it produced the third largest volume of dressed meats in the country. With containerization of freight and proliferation of supermarkets, the meat packing business began to decline. However, business continued with subsidies from the city. The areas started to transition in the 90’s and now most of the meat packing businesses have been pushed out by soaring rents and displaced by high end boutiques, nightclubs and restaurants. Most have relocated to Hunts Point in the Bronx, but a few still exist adjacent to the new Whitney Museum.

Check out photographs of the Meatpacking District in the 1990s by photographer Gregoire Alessandrini.