Pest Control in NoHo, Manhattan
NoHo is a compact neighborhood just north of Houston Street, roughly bounded by Broadway, the Bowery and Astor Place. Its short, atmospheric blocks, including Bond Street, Great Jones Street and Lafayette Street, are lined with handsome store-and-loft buildings, many now converted into apartments and high-end condos. The area blends into the East Village to the east and Greenwich Village to the west, and NYU buildings sit at its edges. Cultural anchors include the Public Theater on Lafayette Street and the Merchant's House Museum on East Fourth Street. The 6 train at Bleecker Street and Astor Place, plus the B, D, F and M at Broadway-Lafayette, make it very convenient.
Also known as: North of Houston.
About NoHo
In the early nineteenth century this was an elite residential district, home to wealthy families including the Astors, whose library became the building that now houses the Public Theater. By mid-century merchants replaced mansions with loft buildings for dry goods, printing and manufacturing. Industry declined after World War II, and artists took over the lofts in the 1970s. NoHo historic districts were designated in 1999 and 2008, preserving the loft architecture.
Common Pest Problems in NoHo
NoHo's old loft buildings have wide open floors, original wood beams and brick walls with many small voids, conditions that let house mice nest out of sight and travel between units. Several buildings still mix residential floors with offices, restaurants and bars, and the Bowery and Lafayette Street corridors host busy kitchens whose grease traps and trash can support German cockroaches. Heavy nightlife foot traffic leaves street-level litter that draws rats after dark.
Converted lofts and the rare surviving rowhouses often have closets and storage areas that stay dark and undisturbed, where clothes moths can feed on wool rugs and vintage clothing. Basements beneath these nineteenth-century buildings tend to be damp, and silverfish thrive in stored papers, books and cardboard. Residents who work from home or keep art supplies and archives in their lofts should pay particular attention to these fabric and paper pests. Regular cleaning helps.