MNS Real Impact Real Estate

136 Baxter was clearly “built by people who love architecture.” What the neighborhood may lack in instant charm, the building makes up for in its uniqueness and impeccable conversion. Like 11 Spring Street a short walk away in the northeast, the Machinery Exchange also was a horse’s stable, becoming a machinery warehouse just prior to the Great Depression. Unlike many conversions that lose the suppleness of the original structure, the Exchange’s wood and brick construction maintains a lightness that too often gets lost among the high ceilings and loft spaces. Its yellow pine ceilings and red oak floors bring a welcome warmth to this Little Italy residence.

Manhattan has a lot of America’s firsts, so it’s no surprise that it is home to America’s first espresso bar.

Ferrara Bakery & Cafe in Little Italy claims to be just that. Opened in 1892 by Antonio Ferrara, the neighborhood cafe survived the Great Depression and is still turning out some of the neighborhood’s best cannolis today.