Tribeca, or the TRIangle BElow CAnal Street, became a popular neighborhood for artists and others seeking relief from the increasing prices in Soho in the late 1980s. In some ways similar to the Soho of decades past for its conversion of gritty old industrial warehouses into beautiful loft spaces, the real estate boom of the later 1990s transformed forever the small-town feeling of Tribeca. No longer is it tough to find good food, grocery stores or newsstands. Now, chic boutiques compete with high-end restaurants and bars.