CHELSEA (view all listings)

Until recent years, Chelsea was said to be the heart of the Garment and Flower districts. Today, it is one of the city's hottest zip codes. Considered a fashionable place to live, it began as farmland in the early 1800's, becoming more commercial later that century with the coming of an above ground railroad.

Chelsea is located between 34th street and Greenwich Village on the West Side. It is full of off Broadway theaters, new art galleries, and fine restaurants as well as the landmark Chelsea Hotel, a favorite of many famous artists, writers and musicians. During seasonal art openings, the area buzzes with gallery-hoppers that are as interesting to gaze at as the art itself. Chelsea is also home to several popular weekend flea markets and New York City's most modern, state-of-the-art sports complex. Chelsea Piers is a large complex where you can ice skate, drive golf balls, hit inside batting cages or bowl; it also features a health club and many sports leagues. The architecture in this area is unique. East of Ninth Avenue, the spacious and stylish loft warehouses give way to stunning landmark townhouses, prewar co-ops and new luxury high-rise buildings. Traditionalists will appreciate Historic Chelsea's Cushman Row, located between Ninth and Tenth Avenues on 20th Street.