chelsea area (Cortland, Bath, Murray: co-op, new home, safe area)

[elayersm]

I moved to Chelsea 2 days ago...just south of Penn. I'm having trouble with a few things...if you have any suggestions I would appreciate it.

1. What area/street is considered downtown Chelsea
2. What are the safe areas
3. What are the areas to avoid
4. Inexpensive store to go grocery shopping/house things
5. Local hangouts?

[Henna]

1. There is no "downtown Chelsea" but if you go to 23rd St. between 6th AVe and 9th Ave I think you'll at least find quite a few things to eat and see.

2. It's all pretty safe though I guess there are some spots that are shadier than others
3. not sure
4. There is a Home Depot on 23rd St. just east of 6th Ave for home goods. Bed, Bath and Beyond on 6th Ave around 19th St., I think there's a new home goods place that just openend on 6th Ave between 23rd and 24th St..

I don't know about inexpensive food - there probably isn't any, but I do think there may be a grocery store on either 25th or 26th that is just west of 8th Ave that could be less expensive than the Whole Foods on 7th Ave and 24th St. It's possible there are some grocery bargains in Koreatown in the Korean grocery stores on 32nd St. between 5th and 6th Ave.

Also there is a KMart located inside Penn Station (I believe)

5. Too many to list, but try 8th Ave and 9th Ave between 20th St and 23rd St.

Use google maps!!

[Dark of the Moon]

Originally Posted by Henna

Also there is a KMart located inside Penn Station (I believe)

Almost -- it's one block east of 8th Avenue on 34th Street. I know -- I've shopped there MANY times .....

[Henna]

The grocery store is called Gristedes, on the corner of 26th St and 8th Ave. Never been inside, though so don't know about price or quality. I figure anything is cheaper than Whole Foods but sometimes that assumption doesn't turn out to be correct.

[bmwguydc]

There's no bad area in Chelsea today, even the small NYCHA projects are not a problem, largely because they are bordered by a significant co-op presence that has helped to anchor the neighborhood and bring about its revitalization. Although, the London Terrace was always a good building, even when parts of the area were not as nice.

In terms of grocery shopping, Henna is right, it's basically Gristedes and they are okay, small but they have a good array of basics. Check Whole Foods, however, especially if you buy their own house brands, since they can actually be less expensive than others (365 is WF house brand), and many of those products are organic foods.

If you like good bagels, check out Murray's in the neighborhood, on 8th between 22nd & 23rd.

For home accents and the like, Century 21 on Cortlandt in the Financial District, and Burlington Coat Factory on 6th between 22nd & 23rd might be good bets in the home department. Macy's is also not far and can have some excellent buys on things as well, with a full furniture department, linens, etc.

[Fred314X]

Originally Posted by Henna

The grocery store is called Gristedes, on the corner of 26th St and 8th Ave. Never been inside, though so don't know about price or quality. I figure anything is cheaper than Whole Foods but sometimes that assumption doesn't turn out to be correct.

I don't think you're going to find bargains at Gristede's. That chain tends to be expensive. (I don't know about the prices at Whole Foods--but I do know that Gristede's is going to set you back!)

[Viralmd]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

I don't think you're going to find bargains at Gristede's. That chain tends to be expensive. (I don't know about the prices at Whole Foods--but I do know that Gristede's is going to set you back!)

Gristedes USED to be more expensive (as in 40 years ago when I was a teenager). No longer. Gristedes is on the more reasonable side.

Whole Foods is really better called Whole Paycheck.

[elayersm]

Thank you for the helpful information!! It has helped so much!

[beastieboy]

best fresh food is at jefferson market anyway

[ppeanut07]

i found that most of you thought of chelsea as a nice citi wel i lived there almost all my life n i can tell you where i lived was the opposite of nice. it was filled with poverty drugs and violence ive even seen ppl murdered in broad day light with plenty of witnesses and not 1 person ever even mentioned it it was even worse than some of the bad parts of roxbury i used to live in but still dont get me wrong i love my hometown i just think it could use some... renovating and also i must admit it is somewhat nicer than it used to be