Chelsea

Chelsea is a fabulous place to live. It’s a very mixed neighborhood with people of different ages and different income levels living in harmony. Members of the LGBT community will find Chelsea especially welcoming.

Rental prices may surprise you in this lively area. Studio prices are climbing, and the average monthly rent is nearly $3,000...the price you would pay for a one-bedroom in other neighborhoods. On the other hand, one-bedroom apartments are now available for about 10% less of what they were a few years ago; $4,000 instead of $4,500. As with most areas, you’ll have to pony up quite a bit more money if you’re looking for a two-bedroom or larger: $6,200 in a doorman building and $5,100 in a non-doorman building.

The buildings in Chelsea are as diverse as its residents. On the east-west streets, you’ll find historic brownstones, lovingly maintained by their owners with stoops and steps where residents lounge on summer days. On the north-south avenues, there has been an explosion of luxury rentals and luxury condos.

You’ll never want for entertainment in Chelsea. More than 100 galleries mean that you can stay in touch with the art scene. The Joyce Theatre is home to an ongoing series of well-loved dance performances, and tickets there are extremely located. On 23rd Street, you’ll find movie theatres galore.

You won’t go hungry in Chelsea either. There’s a mix of American cuisine, ethnic restaurants, and even some fun food trucks to be found on 6th Avenue and 18th Street, where giant retailers Bed, Bath, & Beyond, TJ Maxx, and Marshall’s have storefronts.

Chelsea is made for living, and there are plenty of repair shops, tailors, medical services, and supermarkets (including Trader Joe’s) to make life easy.

Although I myself didn't raise kids in Chelsea, I know many people who have. I have ventured to Chelsea on occasion to go to school (there are many trade schools in the area) as well as to visit Gotham Comedy Club on 23rd Street, a main stop on the subway train. Given its access to trains and buses, Chelsea is convenient for the person looking for a great commuting location from uptown or who wants to have access to luxury living. There are a number of buildings in the area which are very ritzy with doormen which are known to be very safe. The area itself provides a lot of entertainment. And cabs can be hailed easily. Apt rents are ridiculous but if you can find an affordable one it most likely will be a walk up.

There is great shopping if you are willing to stroll about. And you can find great extra curricular activities at Chelsea Pier, even golf driving! Amazing. Only in New York. If you are a runner you will simply love running along the river. It's a drug for those who run. Go check it out. It even accommodates cyclists now. Just be sure not to get hit if you are on foot. There is a lot of people traffic at times and you can't assume everyone will avoid you.

Chelsea is a neighborhood that offers a little bit of everything: great restaurants, great shopping, great outdoor activities, and great transportation to anywhere else in the city. In fact, is has such an abundance of resources, that residences never have to leave the area.

While not in midtown, it is easily accessible by train, bus, or foot. Another advantage is that it doesn't have to same level of noise or street traffic, especially west of 7th Avenue. The east side of Chelsea is where most of the stores are located with such chains as Best Buy.Old Navy, Home Depot and Olive Garden. There are also a good number of supermarkets and drug store chains making it a very convenient area for shopping.

Then there is the famous Chelsea Piers sports and entertainment complex, a 30 acre sports village running form 17th to 23rd street along the Hudson River. The complex offers such recreational activities as golf, bowling, basketball, baseball and gymnastics. You may also take a walk or bike ride along the path that stretches form the upper west side down through Battery Park.

Many restaurants such as East of eight (8th Avenue and 23rd) have outdoor patios that, in the spring and summer are always crowded with lunch and dinner guests. Batali owned Del Posto on 10th and 16th offers a more relaxing atmosphere with an equally delicious menu.

The Atlantic Theater Company founded in 1985 by David Mamet and William H. Macy has two locations in Chelsea and produces award-winning Off-Broadway productions. The Atlantic theater offers plays by both new and established playwrights, ranging form Checkov to Woody Allen.

Another venue not to be missed is the Chelsea Market spanning 17 to18th streets on Ninth Avenue. The market offers two dozen specialty shops such as baked goods, cheese, gourmet coffee, desserts, and wines. The cupcakes at Billy's Bakery are said to rival those of the Magnolia Cafe.

The Chelsea Hotel built in 1883 is rich with history such as housing Dylan Thomas, Thomas Wolfe and a variety of other writers. On the more notorious side, this is the place where Sid killed Nancy. If you get hungry at 3:00 AM you can always stroll over to the Cafeteria. This place is open 24 hours and is always busy with some amazing people watching. Because Chelsea is one of the art centers in Manhattan, may visual artists live in the neighborhood giving it a hip and trendy feel.

The neighborhood is great for those city residents who wish to be in the mix of things with a short commute to the midtown area. It is also a hot spot for tourists because of the range of activities the neighborhood offers.

Chelsea is one of those places every New Yorker wishes they had gotten into before it went mainstream. The area had been one of the more affordable nice areas to live in but is now the average Manhattan neighborhood with high rents that are well worth it for the right person.

The area is right alongside the river which, while not a place you'd like to go take a dip in, is nice to look at. It can get pretty crowded as it is surrounded on all sides by heavily visited areas but overall retains its community feel more than most neighborhoods.

For residents, the area is packed with nice boutiques, food places, entertainment venues, and Chelsea Piers which offers a huge variety of sports in a fairly small space. It is fairly easy to get to via public transportation. The nice thing about the neighborhood is that its a nice, trendy area without all the hipsters or the completely crazy rents. Also has a developing technology and web sector. The area is also great for the LGBT crowd and has one of the strongest gay communities in the city.

For tourists, the area comes with a great view and a few landmarks here and there but is not the tourist destination that nearby Midtown or West Village offer.

For a neighborhood so close to midtown, Chelsea is one of the most artistic areas in Manhattan. The first and most obvious sign of this are the many galleries spread through the neighborhood, which create this whole sort of gallery lifestyle of continuous openings, parties and showings. You don't have to be a member of art's in crowd to love Chelsea, though - in fact, like many of New York's best hoods, Chelsea has something for everyone. Even if you're a rock and roll lover and a fan of New York's gritty roots, it's not in the East Village or the Lower East Side that you'll find one of the most important rock and roll landmarks - it's in Chelsea. The Chelsea Hotel was once a revolving door of music's greatest and worst behaved, with some quieter, more philosophical artists thrown into the mix. It's best known for being the site of Nancy Spungen's murder at the hands of her heroin-addled Sex Pistol boyfriend, Sid Vicious. There are also guitar shops around the hotel that remain from the glory days of punk.

If it's vintage shopping you want, Chelsea's got it, from clothing to home goods. Check out Angel Street Thrift Shop and Pippin Vintage for some of the best finds in the city. Or, spend a day at the Antiques Garage, a multi-level parking garage turned flea market. If it's culture you want, Chelsea's got it, at the Rubin Museum. Peruse exhibits focusing predominantly on Asian cultures, discuss history at the bar or catch a flick for free on Friday nights. Perhaps you want chichi food shopping with some other boutiques thrown into the mix - then try Chelsea Market for high end food, whether you load up for home or stop at one of the delicious restaurants. For some activity, head to Chelsea Piers to engage in whatever sport your heart desires, or just take in the views with craft beer at Chelsea Brewery. And you can't forget Upright Citizen's Brigade, the renowned improv theater where many of comedy's modern greats (alums of Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, etc.) got their start and still perform today - just line up for a $5 ticket on weekdays or a $10 weekend ticket. Restaurants, bars, shopping, art and culture abound in Chelsea - which is probably why a lot of us can't afford to live there. But we'll keep visiting.

Chelsea has been a coveted neighborhood in Manhattan for as long as I can remember, and it's no wonder. So much of it is really lovely. Expensive? Yes, but worth it, and it certainly isn't the most expensive neighborhood in Manhattan. You aren't in midtown, but you're just south of midtown. This means that you don't have to be in the very noisiest commercial area of the island, but you are within walking distance or just one or two subway stops away from the hustle and bustle. Parts of Chelsea, especially as you go farther west, are pretty quiet for Manhattan and look very much like a neighborhood in one of the outer boroughs. At the same time, you have plenty of shopping and restaurants available on the avenues.

You have the fabulous Chelsea Market, Chelsea Piers, the historic Empire Diner, the plant district, the wonderful Rubin Museum that houses a great Asian art collection, and even a Barney's. The new elevated green space, the High Line, is also in the area. Chelsea is one of the arts centers of Manhattan, so a lot of artists live in this neighborhood, particularly visual artists. I've never managed to afford an apartment in this area, but I'd live there in a second if I had the chance.

Chelsea was the island's number 1 "it spot" ten years ago, with flocks of young, intelligent, and attractive New Yorkers carving out little spots to call their own. Ten years later, those people are still there and at the height of their earning power....and wonderful neighborhood shops and stores reflect that.

However, not everyone in Chelsea is rich. Everyone in Chelsea may FEEL rich though, as the mixed and matched architecture creates a dynamic, but always elegant environment, and new attractions like The Highline (a park built on a converted, elevated train track) can give anyone free and fantastic views of their quaint and trendy neighborhood.

The original trend setters that settled there in 2000 have children now, and Chelsea's one of the better places to have a family, with tiny but functional parks like the Hudson River Greenway. Above all, Chelsea is home to Chelsea Piers--a 30-acre sports facility that houses The Golf Club, The Sports Room, Roller Rinks, The Filed House, and Chelsea Pier Lanes, a 40-lane bowling facility. It's no wonder everyone in Chelsea looks fit.

Restaurants include Craftsteak (owned by Top Chef's Tom Colicchio), The Coral Room (complete with a real mermaid), and Cookshop. Combined with with Billy's Bakery, Chelsea Market, A Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods, you won't have to look hard to find a decent meal.

A few bad blocks here and there, but generally Chelsea is the perfect place to bask in the energy of New York City.

Oh, Chelsea. Chelsea is really a hilariously fun neighborhood with a great selection of entertaining things. There are movie theaters and awesome gay bars and stand up comedy and shopping galore. The residents of Chelsea are great looking. Well-dressed, fit men line the streets. It is, therefore, one of my absolute favorite places for people watching. Even if they all make me feel frumpy, I can always go fetch an organic, vegan, macrobiotic cilantro and raspberry hot dog to perk me up.

Now that there’s a nice Trader Joe’s in the neighborhood, the grocery shopping is even better. While there are few of the fresh produce stands you’ll find in other neighborhoods like Chinatown or Washington Heights, there are great places to buy healthy, completely chi-chi foods. Of course this means cost of living in general is higher, but if you can afford it, go for it.

But my favorite reason to visit Chelsea is to shop the home goods stores. Besides great designer places, there are tons of antique shops that sell vintage coffee tables and long, beat-up hardwood benches that are perfect to hold stuff in my extremely narrow New York apartment. There are also tons of quality thrift stores, like Salvation Army and Housing Works that have absolute gems of furniture. In a place like Chelsea, even someone else’s furniture castoffs are fabulous.

Chelsea ranks up there among my favorite neighborhoods and one place where I would really like to live. My original introduction to Chelsea was by way of its galleries, all of the important ones of which moved there at some point in the late 80's and early 90's. The galleries are mainly located in the commercial areas near the West Side Highway, over several streets. They are all clustered together, making a weekend gallery trip quite convenient, and on certain Fridays, the whole of the art world will be concentrated into only a handful of local bars and restaurants. In addition to the galleries, there are also some important cultural institutions, such as the Dia Center for art, and the Kitchen for performance and dance. However, I also enjoy Chelsea for its lovely tree-lined residential streets and rows of brownstones, which are peaceful and would make ideal living. The area has some excellent dining and bars, and is home to a lively nightlife scene. In times past, Chelsea was known as a hub of gay culture, with many gay couples moving into the area and many local establishments catering to them. That is still the case, though Chelsea is now quite sedate, in the sense that its night life, though lively, is not exactly like the wild days of yore.

Chelsea has everything: great apartments, great restaurants, great shopping, you name it. And, the best thing about Chelsea is the convenience. Transportation is easy to and from this neighborhood; not, that you'll ever need to leave. . . .
The east side of Chelsea is very commercialized with giant chains such as Best Buy, Olive Garden, and Old Navy lining 6th Avenue. It makes it really easy to get a number of errands done in relatively little time -- this cannot be said for most neighborhoods in New York. But, there are very New York gems nestled within the commercial buildings that make Chelsea much more appealing than, say, mid - town.
Restaurants like Markt (6th and 23rd) have a sidewalk patio in the spring that is always bustling with people lunching on mussels and white wine; while Batali owned Del Posto (10th and 16th) get a bit more sedated and equally delicious dining experience.
Chelsea boasts The Atlantic Theatre which was started by William H. Macy and David Mamet and continually churns out brilliant plays ranging from Checkov to Woody Allen pieces.
You can start of the day at the Driving Range at Chelsea Piers, head over to one of the several art galleries just up the street and peruse through the Chelsea Market's two dozen specialty stores on your way home. Billy's Bakery is worth a try as many feel its cupcakes rival Magnolia's and The Chelsea Hotel (built in 1883) is a must see. It's rich with historical anecdotes such as housing Dylan Thomas in his last boozy year and being the landmark where Sid killed Nancy.
If you get hungry after a long night of drinking, stop by Cafeteria. The place is open 24 hours, always busy with amazing people watching and has an excellent mac and cheese trio.

If you are not dressed to impress when strutting around Chelsea (even at say 3pm on a Monday), prepare to sometimes feel at odds with much of the people wandering around this neighborhood. Chelsea is one of the New York neighborhoods that embodies every stereotype the city uses to draw in the crowds: it has an art scene, trendy nightlife, and the Chelsea Piers.

The area has long been gay-friendly, and home to artists and director types, but you're likely to find yourself a doctor, lawyer and Olsen twin if you just hang around Bungalow 8 long enough. Tourists are likely to have a ball here and residents are likely to have five times as much fun - if they can keep up with their own bar tabs.

Located on the Westside of Manhattan between the Garment district which is centered on 34th and Greenwich Village is the perennially ‘cool’ neighborhood of Chelsea which is home to numerous art galleries, eclectic restaurants and clubs, the gourmet Chelsea food market and the sporting hub of Chelsea Piers which is located between 17th and 23rd streets along the Hudson River and offers a whole host of sporting activities like golf, ice hockey, gymnastics, soccer, basketball and much more.

The real estate scenario in Chelsea features rows of charming brownstones as well as iconic buildings like the Hotel Chelsea which is located on 23rd street between 7th and 8th avenues. This hotel which has hosted several famous artists, musicians and writers like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and the Ramones through the ages is infamous for the 1978 murder of Nancy Spungen by Sid Vicious of the punk rock band, the Sex Pistols on its premises.
The Antiques Garage flea market is an indoor antiques market which is another popular attraction of Chelsea. This market which is held over two floors of a building located on 25th Street between 6th and 7th avenues has been a permanent feature of the neighborhood since 1994. It currently features more than 100 vendors who sell a wide array of products like prints, paintings, rugs, vintage accessories and clothing and silver knick-knacks.

Despite its reputation as a neighborhood of cool, Chelsea continues to be a favored abode of families as the neighborhood is home to some good schools like the P.S. 11 ( which has an indoor swimming pool and a gifted program)as well as colleges like F.I.T(New York’s premier fashion school) and the School of Visual Arts and many green spaces like the Hudson River Park and the newly inaugurated elevated Highline Park

Sleek and sexy, Chelsea is the sort of neighborhood where black cashmere-clad model-types and svelte bartenders meet and mingle: a staple of the New York City nightlife scene known as much for its relentless classic cool - it's far less "trendy" than the nearby Meatpacking District, yet can outclass it with a single withering glare - as for its other attractions: a far less camp gay scene than in the nearby West Village, some high-end dining, and of course, a cost of living that would burn through the salaries of most CEOs. From co-ops to townhouses, the accommodation is splendid but expensive; ditto the food.

Highlights of the Chelsea dining experience include the raucous Francisco's,a Spanish-influenced eatery, and the riverside neighborhood hangout Chelsea Brewing Company. Also highly worthwhile is the Thai The Basil, on 23rd Street (it has a more casual sister, Holy Basil, in the East Village, also worthwhile). The nightclubs - while the pecking order changes from night to night - are all exclusive and seductive: dress to kill (or at least to succumb).

That's not to say Chelsea doesn't have more relaxed charms. Chelsea Piers is one if the best sports complexes in the city, with everything from rock climbing to a relaxing spa, and the 23rd street Cinema at 7th Avenue is the official home of the city's Rocky Horror Picture Show weekend midnight showings.

From 39th to 15th Streets, between the Hudson River and Fifth Avenue, you will find the neighborhood of Chelsea. Here there are lots of luxury rentals, mid-rises (including the Tate and Westminster), and mix condominiums.

Grab a bite to eat at Bottino, along Tenth Avenue, and enjoy some of Manhattan’s key art galleries nearby. Shopping in Chelsea is superb! Barney’s is located on 18th Street (near Seventh Avenue), Chelsea’s flower shop is on Ninth, and the country’s largest camera and video store is along Ninth as well (B&H).

Nightlife is never dull in Chelsea. From upscale gay bars (Barracuda) to private VIP lounges (Bungalow 8), this neighborhood offers it all. Check out Serena on 23rd Street, voted NYC’s best bar for meeting a fashion photographer. You too can be America’s next top model if you hang out here!

Eighth Avenue (between 14th and 23rd Streets) once held New York’s highest concentration of gay-operated businesses, restaurants, cafes, and stores, but the demographic is progressively changing.

The most notable landmark in Chelsea is the Chelsea Hotel on 23rd Street. The hotel boasts many famous residents, such as Bob Dylan (lived in room #205), Joan Baez, Madonna, as well as the fabled destination where Sid Vicious killed his girlfriend Nancy Spungen in 1978.

With a diverse population, scene, and conveniently located in the midtown area, Chelsea is one of the most trendy neighborhoods in the city, a hop, skip, and a jump away from anything your urban eye desires. Chelsea is the stomping ground of another kind of New York Elite– the artiste. Only in New York City are the creative and artistically inclined given a true almost clandestine home, free to entertain both their avid patrons from around the city and around the globe, as well as themselves with the various offerings Chelsea has within its packed streets.

Chelsea is located on the West Side of Manhattan (i.e. West of Central Park, the border for the high-octane island). Beginning at West 14th Street, it is bordered by Greenwich Village, the Meatpacking District, and Hell’s Kitchen. The history of the neighborhood is steeped in development and prestige, as it was once farmland until developers and builders began to erect beautiful brownstones and homes, parks and walking areas, and the neighborhood began to diversify to include Manhattan’s cultural elite.

Chelsea is filled with every echalant of Manhattan society, and is a great place to live for couples, young professionals, students, and even retirees. The neighborhood is youthful and lively, but there is a sense of calm and familiarity within these streets, as well as an austere sophistication. Sites in Chelsea are plentiful, with various performance spaces, museums, art galleries, and historic buildings throughout its winding streets.

Real Estate (according to New York Magazine)
Chelsea offers a mix of townhouses, pre-war co-ops, and luxury doorman buildings.
To Rent: 2-Bedroom, $3,000-$5,000+.
To Buy: 2-Bedroom, $700K-$1.4M+.

Schools:
P.S. 11
320 West 21st Street
Bayard Rustin High School for the Humanities
361 W. 18th Street
Fashion Institute of Technology
227 W. 27th Street

Dining:
Francisco’s
Elmo
Chelsea Brewing Company

Nightlife:
Marquee
Bungalow 8
Serena at the Chelsea Hotel

Transportation:
A,C, and E to 14th, 23rd or 34th; F to 23rd; 1,2,3,9 to 14th or 34th, 1 or 9 only to 18th or 23rd; L to 14th, PATH train to 14th, 23rd, and 34th. The M23 goes cross-town on 23rd and directly to the Chelsea Piers. The M10 ad M11 buses also service the neighborhood.