Built between 1883 and 1885 and opened for initial occupation in 1884, the twelve-story red-brick building that is now the Hotel Chelsea was one of the city's first private apartment cooperatives. It was designed by the firm of Hubert, Pirsson & Company in a style that has been described variously as Queen Anne Revival and Victorian Gothic. Among its distinctive features are the delicate, flower-ornamented iron
balconies on its facade, which were constructed by J.B. and J.M Cornell
and its grand staircase, which extends upward twelve floors. Generally,
this staircase is only accessible to registered guests, although the
hotel does offer monthly tours to others.
At the time of its construction, the building was the tallest in New
York, and its surrounding neighborhood constituted the center of New
York's theater district.
However, within a few years the combination of economic stresses and
the relocation of the theaters bankrupted the Chelsea cooperative. In
1905, the building reopened as a hotel, which was later managed by Knott
Hotels and resident manager A. R. Walty. After the hotel went bankrupt,
it was purchased in 1939 by Joseph Gross, Julius Krauss, and David
Bard,
and these partners managed the hotel together until the early 1970s.
With the passing of Joseph Gross and Julius Krauss, the management fell
to Stanley Bard, David Bard's son
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