Geography
History
Origin Of The Name
Main Attractions Of The Neighborhood
1. NY Pizza Suprema (413 8th Ave): It’s either in Chelsea or Hudson Yards (depending on the boundaries), but it’s arguably one of the best places in NYC for a plain slice and offers a great variety.
2. Los Tacos No. 1 (75 9th Ave): It’s a great Mexican place that offers authentic flavors and some of the best tacos in Manhattan. There is usually a long line, but most Taco lovers find it well worth their time.
3. Buddakan (75 9th Ave): It’s an Asian Fusion restaurant in the Chelsea Market with great ambiance and amazing Chinese food.
4. Coppelia (207 W 14th St): If you are looking for comfort food in a casual setting, this pan-Latin/Cuban fare might be perfect for you. Its Lomo Saltado is quite famous.
5. The Raines Law Room (48 W 17th St): It’s a remnant of Chelsea’s prohibition days –With a semisecret entrance (which is no secret nowadays), and you have to ring a bell to get in. It boasts amazing architecture and a great selection of drinks.
6. The Vessel (20 Hudson Yards): The Vessel is an architectural marvel. It’s an apartment building with a honeycomb structure and a vessel shape, making it more spread out on the top and thinner in the bottom. It’s a gorgeous building and a major tourist attraction.
7. Pennsylvania Station: It’s an impressive piece of architecture and the busiest transport facility (not just the subway) in the Northern Hemisphere.
8. London Terrace Towers (440 W 24th St): The apartment building complex originally opened in 1930 was the largest apartment complex in the world at that time and covered an entire block.
9. Chelsea Savoy Hotel (204 W 23rd St): It’s also called Chelsea Hotel or simply the Chelsea and was built in 1884. It’s associated with many significant events and has been a landmark building since 1977.
10. Google Building (111 Eighth Avenue): It’s the fourth largest building in NYC (by floor area) and one of the largest office buildings in the world owned by tech companies (in this case, Google). The company bought it for about $1.9 billion in 2010, making it one of the most expensive real estate deals in the city’s history.
11. The High Line: It was elevated tracks that were laid in order to avoid deaths related to street-level freight trains in 1934. The 1.45 mile-long part of the original elevated tracks was converted into a park relatively recently. Now, it offers amazing views of Chelsea from a height and is connected to the Vessel.
12. Chelsea Market (75 9th Ave): It’s another building in the neighborhood owned by Google. It originally consisted of a lot of baking facilities that were later merged into one company. Now, it’s a landmarked shopping center full of amazing food establishments.
13. Madison Square Garden (4 Pennsylvania Plaza): It’s arguably the world’s most famous arena and has a rich history. It opened in 1879 and has been the venue for several memorable events, like “The Fight of the Century” boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. It’s a must-visit place for sports lovers.
14. Rubin Museum of Art(150 W 17th St): It’s a small, quiet museum that is home to a great collection of artifacts from the Himalayan region and associated with the history of countries like Bhutan, India, and Nepal.
15. The Museum at FIT (227 W 27th St): Even if fashion is not really your thing, this museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology can be a great place to visit. It shows how fashion has evolved over the last three or four centuries.
What Is Chelsea Known For?
- Chelsea is known for art galleries and museums.
- Its exciting nightlife and cocktail bars, many of which used to be speakeasies during prohibition.
- Good restaurants.
- Diversity and casual lifestyle.
- Beautiful brownstones.
Population
Manhattan District 4 has a population of 122,119, which includes Chelsea (along with Clinton and Hudson Yards). Different sources put the population of the neighborhood itself between 48,000 and 60,000.
Interesting Facts About Chelsea
- Its warehouses were used to store uranium for the Manhattan Project, and it’s part of the reason the project got its name.
- Titanic was supposed to dock in Pier 58, owned by White Star Line. It’s now part of Chelsea Piers.
- It was the venue for one of the deadliest riots in NYC history (Orange Riot), which resulted in the death of 60 civilians
