— Area Residents, Organized Labor, Business Owners and Union Leader Gathered on the Steps of City Hall To Demonstrate Support for The Expansion of Chelsea Market– 

NEW YORK, October 23 – A broad coalition of supporters gathered on the steps of City Hall to urge New York City Council to approve a plan that would generate more than 1,000 jobs through the expansion of Chelsea Market. The group consisted of neighborhood residents, union members, retailers from Chelsea Market and local business and community leaders, noting that in addition to the economic benefits, the project that will generate funds to support affordable housing and the High Line and much needed tax revenue for the City.

“This project is a job generator and will support the thriving tech industry — NYC’s best hope in pulling out of the recession,” said Tony Juliano, chairperson of the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce. “Chelsea is one of the most dynamic mixed-used neighborhoods in the City and we welcome the addition of more than 1,000 new full-time jobs in the proposed office space.”

Many of those at the demonstration were part of groups in the Chelsea Market Coalition, an organization that formed earlier this year to advocate in favor of the project. The coalition’s members include the Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, the Real Estate Board of New York, The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York (BCTC) and 32 BJ SEIU.

“As we all know, not every developer is committed to the creation of high-quality jobs that allow workers to care for their families and thrive in our city,” said Hector Figueroa, president of 32 BJ SEIU. “That’s why we need to support responsible developers like Jamestown, and approve projects like this one that will help families earn the wages and benefits they need to get a foothold in the middle class.”

Since its inception Chelsea Market has been a transformative force in the dramatic renaissance that has occurred in Chelsea. With a mix of 33 artisan food purveyors and eclectic retailers like Sarabeth’s Kitchen, The Lobster Place, and Dickson’s Farmstand, Chelsea Market is beloved by the 120,000 community residents and tourists that visit each week. To the 20 office tenants above like Google, MLB.com and the Food Network, the ground floor is an unparalleled amenity.

The proposed zoning changes would mirror those enacted in 2005 by the City Council when it created the Special West Chelsea District. The rezoning would allow for the addition if 210,000 square-foot office expansion along 10th Avenue and an additional  80,000 square feet on 9th Avenue.

The expansion represents the next exciting chapter in Chelsea Market’s history as one of America’s most viable examples of urban adaptive reuse, enhancing a business model that supports the eclectic mix of large and small, established and start-up tenants that characterize Chelsea Market.