Neighborhood Profile: Chelsea
From the High Line to Google’s NYC headquarters, here’s everything smart renters should know about the hip downtown neighborhood
From 14th St to 34th and 6th Ave over to the Hudson River, Chelsea is famed for its art, LGBTQ culture, luxury retail and cute (if crowded) afternoon walks along the High Line. It’s come a long way from its industrial beginnings and has attracted plenty of high-income renters with its doorman high-rises, renovated lofts and restored brownstones. If you’re interested in apartments in this trend-setting neighborhood, look no further.
What To See
One can’t spend an afternoon in Chelsea without at least accidentally setting eyes on its most obvious attraction, the High Line. Last century’s 1.45 miles of elevated rail track has become one of 21st century Manhattan’s most celebrated contemporary public parks; its path runs past and through some of Chelsea’s most famous historical landmarks, hippest restaurants and trendiest shops, and offers gorgeous views of the mighty Hudson River to the west.
What To Do
Chelsea was already known as a culture hub in Manhattan, but the introduction of the High Line has brought even more life and style to its streets. The old Nabisco factory on Ninth Ave has been repurposed into the famed Chelsea Market, a humming intersection of food, retail, business and more with a cuisine for every taste and a shop for every style.
Of course, Chelsea’s cultural scene can’t be discussed without touching on the hundreds and hundreds of museums and small art galleries across the neighborhood, with some buildings featuring different independent galleries on multiple levels. Walk into nearly any building at random and there’s a good chance there’s an art gallery in there you haven’t seen before.
How To Get Here
The 1, C, and E trains all make local stops between 34th and 14th Sts, or you can take the 7 train out to Hudson Yards and walk down. Multiple bus routes run east-west through the neighborhood on 14th, 23rd and 34th Streets, while north-south routes run along each Avenue, and there are dozens of Citi Bike stations dotting the neighborhood.
Why You Should Move Here
If you live to be in the heart of it, whatever “it” is for you, Chelsea is for you. You can’t go one block without stumbling upon a new independent theater, art gallery, shop or restaurant, and Chelsea has set the tone for New York’s thriving gay scene in conjuction with the West Village immediately to its south for decades.
Folks who are looking for a home with unlimited potential for new discoveries and unending energy just outside their door should look at Chelsea.
Why You Shouldn’t
If you’re looking something quieter, you may want to look elsewhere. Chelsea always has something new going on, and is thus always attracting new people. Artists, restauranteurs, tech geeks, entrepreneurs and ever-present tourists pack these streets (and these bars and nightclubs) until the early hours of the morning.
The Breakdown
The neighborhood is in high demand, so the media rent is relatively high: $3,859. The median sale price clocks in at $1.25 million, the 18th-highest in the city. But with 50% of buildings having a doorman, 57% of units having a dishwasher, and 65% of apartments having an elevator, the standard of living is pretty high, too.
Check out more breakdown below, and if you’re interested in getting a more detailed picture of what’s available in Chelsea, message me and let’s get started!
