While we were off barbecuing and watching fireworks, architect Gene Kaufman was chatting with the Wall Street Journal?about his plans to renovate the iconic Hotel Chelsea. The hotel recently sold to investor Joseph Chetrit, who said at the time that he would keep the building as a hotel, with some upgrades. As for those upgrades, Kaufman tells the Journal, "It will be more like a restoration?.It will be subtle." If "subtle" means not visible from the street, well, the exterior is landmarked.
As for interior changes, Kaufman will expand the building's lobby by combining it with an existing private office. He's going to fix up the hotel's two vacant retail spaces. Sounds subtle enough, so is there anything on tap that might trouble the close to 100 long-term tenants planning to stay in the building? Just one thing: Kaufman plans to redo the quirky floorplans that have long been a hotel hallmark. He says the layouts will remain "unorthodox," so all may yet be well.
· Hotel Chelsea Set for a Redo [WSJ]
· Hotel Chelsea coverage [Curbed]
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