Before DeNiro's film offices, before Wall Street's uber rich arrived, and even before Dan Akroyd sold the four story tenement he purchased with John Belushi, Tribeca was an industrial neighborhood of warehouses and factories. It was largely leveled to build the Twin Towers in the 70s. But remnants of Tribeca's old soul remains, like this vacant storefront on Canal (built in 1826 by John G. Rohr, a merchant tailor, who lived with his family in this building between 1830 and 1853.) These scant reminders of yesteryear are surrounded by freshly renovated buildings using their former blue collar glory as a selling point to the well heeled...such as the soap factory apartments nearby.. 
or this sign for a spice company on Watts.
the Von Kraus warehouse...
and this lovely hand guiding you toward the entrance of a currently closed ground floor storefront...
