One of the laws of New York City is that no street stays exactly the same for more than three months! That’s particularly true of the ever-evolving Chelsea/Meatpacking District. Here are some of the latests goings-on in the neighborhood.
Dean & DeLuca
403 W 13th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue
New York, NY 10014
According to The New York Post, Dean & DeLuca will be taking over the space once occupied by Jean Georges Vongerichten’s famous food establishment, Spice Market, located beneath the Soho House. Since opening in Soho in 1977, the brand has expanded to four New York locations and seven international locations.
IMAGE: FACEBOOK/JOEL ROBUCHON PAGE OFFICIELLE
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
85 10th Avenue at 16th Street
New York, NY 10011
Joël Robuchon, the Michelin star-studded French chef, is bringing his talents to Chelsea with the opening of L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. The restaurant just started serving private dinners last week, and is expected to open its doors to the public very soon. According to Eater, the restaurant will have an additional 50-seat bar and lounge called Le Bar de Joël Robuchon. It will serve simple lunch and dinners with dishes like salads, sandwiches, and more.
IMAGE: OKUDA
Okuda
458 W 17th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Right next door to The Caledonia, Michelin-starred chef Toru Okuda is gracing us with his high-end Japanese tasting menu that only seats 7 people. The restaurant is set to open in November.
IMAGE COURTESY OF TODD ENGLISH FOOD HALL
Todd English Restaurant
191 7th Avenue between 6th and 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Celebrity chef Todd English is reportedly setting up shop in Chelsea, where he’ll establish a “community-minded food/hall market,” similar to the one he recently opened in the city’s Plaza Hotel, pictured above. He hopes to turn around the troubled building, formerly home to Il Bastardo, the Italian restaurant infamous for its debaucherous boozy brunches which closed this summer after having its liquor license revoked by the city.
Luckily, English has an enticing pitch up his sleeve: As his Director of Restaurant Development Flip Arbelaez wrote in an email sent to neighbors and published in Chelsea Now, “This attraction will fill your community with many helpful amenities from fresh coffee to cold-pressed fresh juices. Asian delights like sushi and authentically made dumplings and gyoza will be neighbors to some Mediterranean and European influences for lunch and dinner, all under one roof.” Sounds like it could be the neighborhood’s own full-time Smorgasborg!
Zauo
152 W 24th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10011
You can literally fish for your own food at this three-floor restaurant opening in Chelsea in December. This expanding Japanese chain lets diners sit at large “boats” and reel in ten different kinds of fish. Once you’ve done your hunting/gathering for the evening, your fresh catch will be turned into delicious sushi or tempura-fried delights. Or, skip the fishing pole and head straight for the fine-dining offered on the third floor.
Image: GoogleEarth
Gut Renovation On 7th Avenue
201, 203, 205 & 207 7th Avenue at 22nd Street
New York, NY 10011
To know Chelsea is to love or hate its vacant buildings on 7th Avenue and 22nd Street. Owned by the city for the past 40 years, and abandoned for nearly that long, they’re set to get the fixer-upper treatment. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development plans to conduct a gut renovation and join the four blighted buildings into one. They’ll install an elevator and another two floors, totaling seven stories. It’s expected to house 18 apartments, while still preserving the original facade from 1870.
Barry Diller Pier is no longer moving forward
55 East River Piers
New York, NY 10004
Billionaire Barry Diller abandoned his elaborate plan to build Pier 55, a futuristic performance center that would have been located on a Hudson River pier, according to The New York Times. Plans for the 2.7 acre island included a 700-seat ampitheater and outdoor theatre space. Unfortunately, over six years, costs for the project had ballooned from $30 million to $250 million, due to both the complexity of the design and the ongoing legal disputes from opponents like the City Club of New York.
