Chelsea Market was constructed in the 1890s and was originally the site of the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) factory complex where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced.

Anchor stores include Pearl River Mart, Chelsea Market Baskets, Posman Books, Sarabeth's Bakery, Manhattan Fruit Exchange, MokBar, BuonItalia, Anthropologie, and the Buddakan restaurant.

There is also a variety of cultures to explore including restaurants like Los Mariscos, Miznon,[5] the Fat Witch Bakery, Amy's Bread, Chelsea Wine Vault, Eleni's Bakery, Ninth Street Espresso, The Lobster Place, Dickson's Farmstand, The Green Table, Chelsea Thai and Friedman's Lunch, an Italian fresh pasta restaurant called Giovanni Rana Pastificio e Cucina, as well as a variety of smaller stores selling cheese, artisanal salt and olive oil, chocolate and flowers.

The developers of Chelsea Market encourage a symbiotic relationship among their tenants with the vendors supplying the restaurateurs with fresh ingredients, such as seafood, vegetables, fruit and meats.

This abandoned, elevated railroad track has been converted to an urban oasis or greenway, which now forms a continuous route between the Javits Center and the Meatpacking District.

Since its redevelopment by Irwin Cohen (1933–2023) with Jeff Vandeberg and Vandenberg Architects in the 1990s, the complex has featured a retail concourse at ground level with office space above, and is distinguished by its light-hearted touches and re-use of historic urban artifacts.

[11][12] The majority of the original buildings consist of heavy timber wood construction with brick facades and were designed by the firm of Romeyn & Stever.

[15] In 2012, then-owners Jamestown L.P. received approval to proceed with a planned 6-story office tower expansion above the western portion of the site, despite significant opposition by community and activist groups.