Seattle's Hip Warehouse Arts District Is Like New York's SoHo In The '70s

New York City has long been known as a hub of cutting-edge culture, urban energy, and effortless cool. This was especially true in the 1970s, when artists moved into the abandoned lofts and warehouses of Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, injecting the former industrial district with a raw blast of creativity and verve. While modern SoHo still boasts its cobbled streets and famed art scene, the area's gritty bohemian days are largely behind it, as today it's a much shinier, upscale, desirable place to live. That said, other cities have followed SoHo's lead by transforming neglected parts of town into their own thriving centers of arts and culture. Among them is Seattle, whose SODO district has become home to a thriving arts and nightlife scene.

Known for its frequently grey skies, green parks, coffee culture, and vibrant downtown market filled with hundreds of unique shops, Seattle has also long been a creative powerhouse, as demonstrated by its explosive music scene in the 1990s. This rugged artistic spirit is still very much alive in the Emerald City, especially in SODO, where warehouses and commercial spaces now host studios and galleries.

Originally an acronym for "South of the Dome" (a reference to the Mariners' former stadium, the Kingdome, which was blown up in 2000), most people now take SODO to mean "South of Downtown." The sprawling district occupies a large swath of land between Pioneer Square, Seattle's oldest neighborhood, and historic Georgetown. While SODO remains a place of industry and commerce, it's also become a haven for the city's artistic set, as well as those keen to check out some live music, sip some craft beer, or dance into the late hours of the night.

Originally a stretch of muddy tidal flats, SODO has seen a variety of commercial enterprises make it their home over the years, including saw mills, meatpacking plants, rail yards, and a port. During the Great Depression, it was home to a Hooverville of over 1,000 people, though the rough-and-tumble area eventually transformed into a warehouse district that included a gargantuan Sears distribution center that is now the Starbucks corporate HQ, along with the nation's very first Costco store. By the mid-1990s, some of this industrial real estate was empty or in a ramshackle state, and — just as with New York's storied neighborhood in the '60s and '70s — the artists began to move in.

You can see this in places like the Bemis Building, a former bag factory that now contains scores of live-work studios and other art spaces and hosts several open-house events a year. Other SODO art spaces include Of the Earth Collective (a ceramics studio that offers pottery classes), ARTS at King Street Station (a gallery for underrepresented voices that's housed in a historic train station), and the INSCAPE Building. Built in 1932, this former US Immigration Station (and detention center) is now home to over 125 tenants (making it the largest working arts space in the city) and regularly schedules open-studio events.

Perhaps nothing demonstrates the creative spirit of the neighborhood more than the SODO Track, which is one of the longest mural corridors in the world. This two-mile-long outdoor gallery features vivid and arresting murals that are visible from the light rail trains that carry up to 50,000 people a day through SODO, adding a welcome splash of energy and color to what would otherwise be a drab commute.

In addition to checking out what Seattle's artists are up to, SODO has become a very cool spot for food, neighborhood bars, and nightlife. Situated among a classic car collection in an automotive warehouse space called The Shop, Derby specializes in New American fare, combining locally sourced ingredients with a dose of SODO's industrial ambiance. For Caribbean-style sandwiches packed with meat, check out the award-winning Paseo, whose roast pork sandwich was once recognized as the second-best sandwich in America by the Food Network. In keeping with local sensibilities, this is a no-frills establishment where you'll have to bus your own table, but that's just part of the charm.

When it's time to wet your whistle, there are plenty of spots to choose from, including Hooverville, a neighborhood bar whose name gives a nod to SODO's rough-hewn past. This local favorite features 22 beers on tap along with 160 bottles of spirits and, according to this reviewer on Google, is the "perfect combination of dive and historical atmosphere." If dancing is more your thing, Monkey Loft is known for its top-notch cocktails and a cozy rooftop space where DJs ply their trade several nights a week.

SODO is also a great place to experience live performances. It's home to one of the city's premier music venues, Showbox SODO, which books both local and national touring acts that you can enjoy while relaxing in an intimate setting. If you're not in the mood for music, Emerald City Trapeze Arts puts on regular circus and aerial arts shows, in keeping with the quirky, bohemian vibe that SODO delivers so well. And while you're in the area, head over to nearby Beacon Hill to experience its skyline views, lush green space, and vibrant community.