Last updated: October 11, 2026
A move in SoHo or Tribeca is usually a loft move: a large open apartment in a building that was built for business, with a freight elevator, high ceilings and big furniture, art or a piano to match. Here is how to plan one, with the city rules for the truck. For a free written estimate, call (646) 455-1930.
Cast-iron SoHo and historic Tribeca
The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District on August 14, 1973 (LPC district map) and extended it on May 11, 2010 (LPC designation report). Tribeca has its own historic districts: Tribeca West, designated May 7, 1991, Tribeca East, designated December 2, 1992, and Tribeca North and Tribeca South, both designated December 8, 1992, with a Tribeca South extension in 2002 (LPC district map). Many of these buildings went up as stores, warehouses and workshops and now hold homes, which is why so many moves here start at a freight elevator.
Ask about the freight elevator first
- When can the freight elevator be used for moves, on which days and in which hours?
- Is it run by a building operator, and is there a charge from the building if the move runs past its hours?
- What are the inside measurements of the car and of its door?
- Does the building want a certificate of insurance (COI), and which names must it show?
- Where should the truck load: the front door, a side street or a loading area?
Send us the answers with your estimate request. We send the COI your building asks for.
Big pieces, art and pianos
Loft furniture is often oversized: sectional sofas, long dining tables, platform beds, large mirrors and framed art. Measure the freight car and the apartment door before moving day, and tell us the sizes of the largest pieces. Mirrors and framed art need padding and the right boxes; we offer full packing and packing materials, or we can coach you if you want to pack yourself. A piano needs its own plan; see our guide to small moves, pianos and single items.
The street and the truck
SoHo and Tribeca are below 14th Street, so the Midtown no-double-parking rule does not apply there, but the citywide rule does: a commercial vehicle may double park only for quick pickups or deliveries, when no parking space or marked loading zone is free within 100 feet on either side of the street (NYC Department of Finance). A loft move takes hours, so the truck needs a legal spot at the curb or a loading area. Busy cross streets fill up fast; ask your building where moving trucks usually load. Our guide to moving truck parking rules in NYC lists the rest.
Tolls and tunnels
Trucks pay the Congestion Relief Zone toll on Manhattan’s local streets from 60th Street south; the West Side Highway/Route 9A and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel connections to West Street are not in the zone (MTA). The Hugh L. Carey Tunnel to Brooklyn has a 12 ft 1 in height limit (MTA), and the Brooklyn Bridge carries no trucks (NYC DOT), so the route to Brooklyn depends on the size of the truck. We plan it for the truck we send.
Moving to New Jersey or Brooklyn
Lofts in SoHo and Tribeca often trade places with homes across the river. See moving from Manhattan to Hoboken and moving between Brooklyn and Manhattan.
SoHo and Tribeca moving checklist
- Book the freight elevator and get the COI wording from both buildings.
- Measure the freight car, doors and your largest pieces.
- List art, mirrors, stone tops and the piano, if any, so we bring the right materials.
- Check the parking signs on the block a few days before.
- Keep keys, documents and valuables with you.
Common questions
Do SoHo and Tribeca loft buildings ask for a certificate of insurance?
Many do, together with a booked freight elevator time. Ask management for their sample certificate of insurance (COI) and send it to us about a week before; we send the COI your building asks for.
Is SoHo in the congestion toll zone?
Yes. The Congestion Relief Zone covers Manhattan’s local streets from 60th Street south, including SoHo and Tribeca (MTA). Ask us to include tolls in your written estimate.
Can you move a piano out of a loft?
Yes. Tell us the type of piano, the floor and the freight elevator size. See our guide to small moves and pianos for what we need to know.
Do landmark rules affect moving day?
Landmark rules cover work on the buildings themselves. For moving day, what matters is your building’s move rules, the freight elevator schedule and the parking signs outside.
Get your free written estimate
Call (646) 455-1930 or send the quote form on this page with both addresses, the floors, elevator or stairs, your date and your main items. You get a free written estimate before moving day, and we can come to see the job 7 days a week. A & A Alliance Moving Inc (Two Guys And a Truck NYC) is a family business since 1999, licensed by New York State for moves inside the state (NYSDOT 34875) and by the U.S. DOT for moves between states (U.S. DOT No. 967970, MC-432549). More about us: company facts.
City rules change. We checked every official link on this page on October 11, 2026; confirm on the linked page before moving day. This page is general information, not legal advice.