Save the Hotel Chelsea

There are few places in New York City that have the quirky charisma of the Hotel Chelsea, primarily known for its long-term artist, musician and writer residents. As a wannabe '80s punk rocker, I considered it a dark-side tourist destination as it housed many a famous alt-bohemian (and was where, tragically, Sid Vicious killed his gal Nancy). Adding to its alternative charm, Andy Warhol filmed the very arthouse The Chelsea Girls there, and the revolutionary writers Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Dylan Thomas, Allen Ginsberg and even Mark Twain called the hotel home. With influential musicians such as Dylan, Patti Smith, Dee Dee Ramone and Joni Mitchell having stayed there, surely there was a genius serum that seeped from its walls?

Concerns for the Hotel Chelsea: On my friend Robin's blog Hoover Factory, I was made aware that management had recently changed and many were fearful that this historic creative outpost would be in for some drastic, corporate-cruel changes. New management company BD Hotels NY LLC has firmly brought to a close the unique rental pay system instituted by beloved former manager Stanley Bard, meant to nurture the gallery of artists residing there. Perhaps even more worrisome is that even with its historic landmark status, only the exterior of the hotel is protected, leaving the interior vulnerable to drastic renovation.

Given all the development (and destruction of older properties) that has been a mainstay of the city over the past few years, fears for the hotel's future may be justified. Rumors are that Andre Balazs (Uma Thurman's hotelier-hottie-ex) may play a role in any renovation action. Keep an eye out for the Chelsea that it doesn't turn into another boring boutique hotel with a sanitized, spa-like interior. Sometimes, chaos and a frenetic design are worth preserving.