Chelsea Market occupies the base of 17, red-brick buildings that comprise most of the block between Ninth and Tenth Avenues and 15th and 16th Streets.

Originally the complex, which is located at 75 Ninth Avenue, was part of facilities for Nabisco and in 1997 Irwin Cohen took over the properties and created Chelsea Market, a complex of food and flower shops that is a cornucopia of serendipity that quickly became one of the central attractions of Chelsea.

The complex, which was the birthplace of the Oreo cookie and dates to the late 19th Century, meanders along an 800-foot-long ?mini-mall? strewn with handsome sculpted rocks, very unusual elevator fronts, and a waterfall.

The building?s exterior on Ninth Avenue has undulating bands of patinated brass panels in a woven-basket style, an oddly angled stainless steel canopy and a wildly rusticated stone base. The 1998 renovation was designed by Vandeberg Architects.

Stephen Zoukis, a partner with Jamestown Properties, that is an investor with Mr. Cohen in the property, which is an unofficial landmark in the Chelsea neighborhood, told CityRealty.com today that his organization and Mr. Cohen have retained Gwathmey Siegel & Associates to study the development of a residential addition to the property.

Mr. Zoukis said it was too "preliminary" to estimate how many units and how they might be integrated into the popular, distinctive and delightful "market."

Mr. Zoukis described Mr. Cohen as a ?particular genius? for what he has accomplished at the property and said that the contemplated addition would be ?significant, not small? and most likely not at the Ninth Avenue end where the end building is 9 stories tall, topped by a flagpole and festooned with a 7-story angled metal and glass sign.

Most of the buildings in the complex are 6 stories high.

The building?s commercial tenants include the Food Network and NYI.

Much of the nearby area was recently rezoned by the city to promote the development of the High Line park. The rezoning did not affect this property, which does border on the High Line and given the size of the property it is likely that a quite substantial residential addition could be developed, especially given its proximity to the extremely popular meatpacking district and many trendy restaurants and art galleries.

One of the city?s handsomest new condo projects, the Porter House, is cattycorner to it on Ninth Avenue and Phillips de Pury, the auction house, is located across from it on 15th Street at Tenth Avenue.