Nassau Street is a street in the Financial District of the New York City borough of Manhattan, located near Pace University and New York City Hall. It starts at Wall Street and runs north to Spruce Street at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, lying one block east of Broadway and east of Park Row. It is named after the royal family of the Netherlands, the House of Orange-Nassau; in particular, it was named some time before 1696 in honor to William of Nassau, the Dutch prince who became King William III of England. Nassau Street once housed many of the city's newspapers. Late in the 20th century Nassau Street was closed to motor traffic in order to promote shopping.