Chelsea Market, Chelsea Piers and Madison Square Garden are a few highlights of this Manhattan neighborhood transitioning from a predominantly industrial area to one where living, shopping, eating and entertainment take center stage.

Just to the north of the meat packing district, from 14th to 34th Streets, between 5th Avenue and the Hudson River, you will find Chelsea, another formerly industrial area on the rise. The old world charm of elegantly restored pre-war garden apartments and brownstones, with flower boxes, wrought-iron railings, and polished oak entries, can still be found. But this area, formerly known as the Flower District, has become one of the prime targets for conversion of industrial buildings into luxury lofts.

 

A mecca for gourmet food lovers is the Chelsea Market, at 75 9th Ave., stretching between 15th and 16th Streets. The building originally was the old Nabisco plant, where in 1898, the Oreo Cookie was born.

In 1997, Chelsea Market opened with a couple of tenants, and today you will find nearly 20 specialty shops to eat, drink and buy to your heart's desire.

Chelsea is home to a wide range of people and activities and has recently undergone a transformation
that has made it one of New York's most 'happenning' neighborhoods.

Old warehouses which were once factories and breweries are being
converted into gallery spaces, nightclubs, and residential lofts.

 With the newly paved Hudson River Park and the mammoth Chelsea
 Piers Sports and Recreation complex , Chelsea is becoming a favorite
 spot for the sports enthusiast.
 

For the most part, Chelsea can be considered a mix of family types,
mom-and-pop stores movie theatres, sports enthuiasts, artists and bargain shopping.The famous Food TV Network offices are housed upstairs.

Another highlight of this district is the Chelsea PiersSports and Entertainment Complex, a 30-acre, $120 million, privately financed waterfront recreation village located between 17th and 23rd Streets along the Hudson River.

The complex includes Piers 59, 60, 61 and 62, and features a golf club, a health club, a roller rink and extreme sports park, an ice rink, a bowling alley, the Chelsea Brewing Company, several events and education centers, and more. You can watch golfers perfecting their swings from the Hudson River.
 

   The history of these piers is fascinating. The piers were officially opened in 1910 but three years earlier, before the 8-year
   long construction was even complete, the first of the new luxury liners, the Lusitania and Mauretania, were docked there.
 

   The architectural firm of Warren and Wetmore, which was designing
   Grand Central Terminal at the same time, transformed the existing
   hodge-podge of run-down waterfront structures into a premier port. But 
   50 years later, the advent of the jet plane and large container ships
   requiring more involved docking facilities rendered the docks obsolete,
   and they fell into neglect and disrepair. By the 1970's, the piers were slated for demolition to make
   way for a highway, but the plan failed, and the property was sold to the developers of the Chelsea
   Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex.
 

Just like in the meat packing district, many trendy boutiques, cafes, grocery stores, and art galleries have now taken residence in Chelsea. Visit Chelsea, the Meat Packing District and most of Manhattan on a Minibus Tour to see and learn more about these neighborhoods.
 

Also in this neighborhood is the world-famous Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Knicks, Rangers hockey, Barnum and Bailey Circus, championship boxing events, and superstar music concerts.
 

   In the photo to the right—taken while on a helicopter tour—the Chelsea
   Piers are at the lower left, Chelsea Market is to the right and Madison
   Square Garden is the round building near the upper center of the
   picture just in front of the tall dark building (55 story 1 Penn Plaza).
   Purchase Madison Square Garden-Theatre Tickets online. Chelsea Park
   is near the center of the picture and you can see the Empire State Building to the upper right.

   A West Chelsea Zoning Proposal to create the Special West Chelsea District to promote
   development, facilitate the reuse of the High Line elevated rail line and enhance the
   neighborhood's art gallery district was approved in June of 2005. The High Line links the Hell's
   Kitchen, Chelsea and Meatpacking Districts.
 
 
 
 
 

                        Some former famous residents were George Gershwin, Brendan Behan,
                        DylanThomas and  Stephen Crane The McBurney YMCA has been home
 .                      to Mark Twain and O. Henry. The Chelsea Hotel which opened as a co-op
                        in 1884 was at that time the city’ tallest building. In later years it housed
                        Mark Twain, Thomas Wolfe, Dylan Thomas, Arthur Miller, Jackson Pollock
                        and Andy  Warhol.

                                             Borders
                                            WEST-Hudson River
                                             EAST-5th Avenue
                                             NORTH-30th Street
                                             SOUTH-14th Street 

 Subways:

   1.C and E trains on 8th Avenue at 23rd Street and 14th Street
   2.A train at 8th Avenue and 14th Street
   3.1 and 9 trains on 7th Avenue at 28th St, 23rd Street, 18th Street
      and 14th Street
   4.2 and 3 trains at 7th Avenue at 14th Street
   5.L train on 14th Street at 8th Avenue and at 6th Avenue
 

 Buses:

   1.Crosstown at 23rd Street and 14thStreet
   2.9th Avenue, 7th Avenue, Broadway and 5th Avenue downtown
   3.0th Avenue, 8th Avenue and 6th Avenue uptown
 

 Public Schools - Elementary:

   1.PS 11 William T. Harris School, 320 W 21st Street
   2.PS 33 Chelsea School, 281 Ninth Avenue

 Public Schools - Intermediate:

      IS 70 O. Henry School, 333 W. 17th Street

  Public Schools - High Schools:

   1.Legacy School For Integrated Studies, 125 W. 14th Street 4th Fl.
   2.Vanguard HS, 125 W. 14th Street, 3rd Fl.
   3.Project Blend, 351 W. 18th Street
   4.Liberty HS, 250 W. 18th Street,
   5.Career Education Center HS, 250 W. 18th Street
   6.School - Physical City, 333 W. 17th Street;
   7.HS - Humanities, 351 W. 18th Street
   8.Fashion Industries HS, 225 W. 24th Street
 

 Catholic Parish Elementary Schools:

   1.Street Columba (Pre K-8), 331 W. 25th Street
   2.Guardian Angel (PreK-8),193 10th Avenue
 

 Catholic High Schools:

      Xavier (boys), 30 W. 16th Street
 

 Private Schools:

      Corlears School. 324 W. 15th Street, (Coed, Nursery - 4th Grade)
 

 Universities, Colleges & Schools:

      Fashion Institute of Technology, 227 W. 27th Street

 Parks:

      Chelsea Park

 Landmarks:

      West 22nd Street
      General Theological Seminary
      26th Street Flea Market
      Hotel Chelsea, 222 W. 23rd Street;
      Chelsea Piers Complex