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The New Museum's move to Broadway in 1983 coincided with
the peak of the gallery scene in Soho, though since the artistic
center of the city has moved to Chelsea. The recent competition
for Eyebeam reinforces
this center, but rather than following the crowd the New Museum
is attempting to invigorate the Bowery, a zone bordering Chinatown,
Nolita, the Lower East Side, the East Village and other neighborhoods
along its length. Not necessarily part of any of these neighborhoods,
the Bowery's reputation as a nexus for the homeless is evident
by the Bowery
Mission, two doors down from the site. Over time the Bowery
has remained a relative constant in the ever-changing fabric
of the surrounding neighborhoods, so the influence of the
Museum is not a given but something to watch over time.
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