West Chelsea—widely considered to take in the streets of West 14th to West 30th across the avenues between the Hudson River and 9th—has transformed over the last decade into a vibrant and bustling hub of high-end arts and living
Sitting north of Greenwich Village, south of Midtown, and with the Hudson River to its west, Chelsea appears to have absorbed the best parts of its bordering neighborhoods through osmosis—from the hipness of the Village to the pumped-up ambition of Midtown—but with amplified luxury.
“West Chelsea is an incredibly dynamic neighborhood,” explains broker Erin Boisson Aries of Christie’s International Real Estate Group. “It’s edgy, it’s interesting, and there are never-ending things to do. The Meatpacking District is full of restaurants and bars and Hudson Yards is packed with theaters and schools. It’s sort of in-between other neighborhoods, and because of that you get the best of all worlds.”
There’s no talking about West Chelsea without mentioning the neighborhood’s prominence in the city’s contemporary art scene. There are more than 370 galleries across West Chelsea, and it remains the city’s foremost gallery district, with styles to suit every taste, whether you’re a serious collector or simply a window shopper.
Founded in West Chelsea in 1991, the Sean Kelly Gallery was one of the area’s trailblazers and continues to focus on both established and up-and-coming artists working in various media. Fans of fine-art photography should stop by Yancey Richardson, which specializes in the best of 20th-century photography, including such iconic names as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Mapplethorpe, as well as emerging talents.
The recently renovated Metro Pictures is renowned for having the legendary Cindy Sherman on its roster, and can continue to be relied upon for exhibitions of big-name contemporary artists. With an international focus, the blue-chip James Cohan Gallery has hosted exhibitions of the work of global art superstars including Gilbert & George, Bill Viola, and Richard Long.
Mary Boone’s original SoHo outpost has the distinction of having been instrumental in the careers of names such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Barbara Kruger, and Julian Schnabel. The spacious Mary Boone Gallery in Chelsea opened in 2000 and its dramatic space allows for large-scale installations by the likes of Kruger and Marc Quinn.
Chelsea is an incredibly dynamic neighborhood…There are more than 370 galleries
For those interested in art history, David Zwirner is known for featuring the work of luminaries such as Richard Serra, Chris Ofili, and Wolfgang Tillmans. According to the New York Times, Zwirner’s gallery is expanding further, which will make 21st Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, a particularly exciting art block—it’s already home to top gallerists Paula Cooper, Barbara Gladstone, Larry Gagosian, and Tanya Bonakdar.
To take in the whole neighborhood, start by walking south on one of the city’s most famous architectural landmarks, The High Line, where visitors can drink in the aesthetics of architecture’s biggest names like Frank Gehry with his stark white, hive-like IAC building, or Foster + Partners’ 551 West 21st Street with its pre-cast concrete and luminous metal window surrounds, which give the building a sense of permanence and history.
Some of the most beautiful residences in the city are in West Chelsea, and the neighborhood has become a destination for architecturally significant new developments from the likes of Zaha Hadid Architects, Peter Marino, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), and, most recently, Heatherwick Studio.
Then, after your impromptu architecture tour along the elevated urban park, hop off at The High Line’s south end, where the famous Chelsea Market is just steps away.
While taking the byways back north for a quieter stroll, it’s easy to spot the gastronomical gems around every corner. For “exceptional tapas,” says Boisson Aries, “you would do well to try Tía Pol on 10th Avenue and 22nd Street.”
For somewhere a bit livelier after dinner there’s The Club Car in The McKittrick Hotel, which offers cabaret and performance, spanning illusion, burlesque, live music, and storytelling, in a low-lit space. Finish the evening at Chelsea’s latest addition to the speakeasy scene: The 18th Room, which is cleverly named after the amendment that led to Prohibition. And if the Art Deco interior weren’t inviting enough, the bartenders will concoct personalized cocktails.
New York Fashion Week comes through twice a year, taking up various venues for shows and afterparties, and attracting fashion fans to designer boutiques like the Comme des Garçons New York flagship, a true one-off space that is both immersive art installation and high-end shopping destination—which is how you could describe West Chelsea itself.
