NoHo is a tiny neighborhood near the East Village named for being north of Houston Street (pronounced how-sten by NYC natives). The area became named as separate from SoHo in the 1980s by artists who began to populate its many lofts and wanted to differentiate their neighborhood. Preservation of the area's many 19th century and turn-of-the-century commercial and residential buildings by the Historical Society has made the area attractive for its historical architecture including cast-iron, marble and terra cotta facades. Today, attractions in the area include the Angelika Film Center, the Astor Place Theater and the NYU Tisch School of the Arts as well as top-notch shopping and dining. The small size, central location and attractive look of the residences in the area (mainly consisting of lofts) make NoHo one of the more expensive and desirable neighborhoods in Manhattan.