Welcome to the first

of our two part video tour

dedicated to Chelsea,

a fantastic neighborhood

found in the west side of Manhattan, New York!

New York Habitat Video

with David Hill

Chelsea - Part 1, Manhattan, New York

So, here in Chelsea you'll find yourself in a historical

yet impressively progressive neighborhood.

This neighborhood is roughly bordered

by 14th street to the south,

30th street to the north,

6th Avenue to the east

and the Hudson River and West Street to the west.

Chelsea began as an estate

owned by a retried British officer,

naming it after the manor in Chelsea, London

owned by Major Thomas Clarke.

So we'll begin our tour today

at General Theological Seminary

of the Episcopal Church.

The General Theological Seminary

of the Episcopal Church was founded in 1817.

The magnificent green, lush quadrangle

is a peaceful place in the bustling city.

Go to the office and get a free visiting pass

to enjoy the campus grounds.

In the late 1880's the Hudson River Railroad

began using 10th and 11th avenues

dividing Chelsea from the waterfront.

Soon the neighborhood was covered in slaughterhouses,

breweries, and tenements for the immigrant labor force.

Another cool place to check out,

is The Limelight Market Place.

It used to be a nightclub in the 1980's

and, of course before that, it was a church.

Today it has been converted into a shopping center.

The 20th Street landmark's lancet windows,

labyrinthine layout, and soaring chapel

are the same as they ever were

but now you'll find specialty shops for clothing,

housewares, chocolates,

and the quintessential Grimaldi's pizza.

If you're an art enthusiast,

you'll be delighted to know

that many consider Chelsea

to be the art capital of New York,

boasting more than 200 galleries.

The 1950's and 60's gave Chelsea a facelift .

The migration of art galleries from Soho to Chelsea

completed the gentrification.

Today, you'll find many galleries

between 20th and 28th Streets.

A few examples

are the Robert Miller Gallery on West 26th St.,

the George Billis Gallery on West 26th St.,

and the Sonnabend on West 22nd.

If you'd like to experience Chelsea like a true local,

you should definitely rent a vacation rental

or furnished apartment from New York Habitat.

There's no better way to experience this city

than to live in a real New York apartment.

If you love sports

or just feel like spending a day at the spa,

The Chelsea Pier's Sports Clomplex

has something to offer for everyone.

The Chelsea Piers Recreation Complex offers golf,

bowling, skating, batting cages, and rock climbing.

You'll also find a fitness center and a deluxe spa.

The Hudson River Park stretches for 5 miles

and is packed with fun and unique daytime activities.

For example, if you ever wanted to learn to fish,

the Park offers the "Big City Fishing" program

for free throughout the summer.

Want to get out on the water?

The Park also offers kayak trips

and lessons of sailing, rowing,

kayak polo, and boat building.

Now if you're in the area,

check out the Park's online calendar

for Outdoor Films,

dances, musical performances, farmer's markets,

that take place all along the river.

Well, that's a wrap of the first episode

of our video tour dedicated to Chelsea.

If you know of any fun spots in the neighborhood

Make sure you share them with us,

in the comment section below.

Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel

so you'll be notified when part 2

of our Chelsea series comes out.

And if you're coming to New York,

be sure to visit our website at nyhabitat.com

and book a vacation rental

or furnished apartment

with New York Habitat.

You'll find furnished apartments

all over Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

I'm David Hill with New York Habitat.

Thank you for watching our video tour

here in New York City

and we hope to see you soon

in the Big Apple!