July 17, 2007
Video of the Day: A Conversation With Stanley Bard
Yesterday we headed over to the Hotel Chelsea to have a chat with Stanley Bard. Over the past month there have been many changes at the landmarked establishment that have left an unsettling feeling amongst the community. This community is one that Bard himself refers to as "A Mutual Admiration Society," and his description couldn't be more accurate.
He and the hotel residents really respect and know each other, the only problem is that neither group knows exactly what Bard's role is anymore - something that makes the future seem even more uncertain. This comes through in everything we hear from residents and even Bard himself. When we asked about the recent rate drop at the hotel (the board had been pushing him to raise rates when he was still in charge) he told us, "I really have no idea, no concept of why they would consider something like that. They never brought me into it. They never asked for my advice, that's what concerns me."
Below is a our video interview with Bard from his office, which he still occupies, and from some of his favorite rooms in the hotel. He talks about his recent support from Ethan Hawke, reminisces about Arthur Miller and his family, and reflects on his life's work at the hotel.
While nothing has physically changed about the hotel yet, there is a sense that so much has changed already with spirits being down after Bard was overthrown by the board. Luckily with such an old hotel, history oozes from the walls creating an aesthetic and feeling that isn't just going to leave without a fight, however there isn't a doubt in anyone's mind that the faceless "new management" will try bring upon some unwelcome changes soon enough. So far we learned one interesting little addition: when new management took over, residents told us a painter showed up outside the hotel. We saw her yesterday and assumed she was there to support the Bards. We quickly found out she is the girlfriend of David Elder, one of the board members who was instrumental in forcing the Bards out. The Hotel Chelsea bloggers have more about Elder, here.
Camerawork by Kelly Loudenberg.
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Why don't these wealthy movie stars who care so much about the Chelsea just go ahead and buy it? They surely can afford it. Then they can run it the way they think it should be run.
Is the Chelsea a nice hotel? I walked into the lobby once and wondered how clean the place is. They have that restaurant on the 1st floor which looks so skeevy.
roaches ooze from the walls, too.
every time i try to watch the video it just stops playing a few seconds in. anyone have any ideas on how to resolve this problem?
Cockroaches don't ooze from the walls. The place had already been cleaned up a lot. It was authentic and beautiful beyond just its gorgeous architecture.
Awww, Stanley. You deserved better, much better than this. Those other partners, the minority shareholders, are stupid to do this. You are the Chelsea hotel.
Ms. Carlson, IF you had done your PROPER journalistic research, you'd have found out that David Elder's "girlfriend" not only isn't his "GIRLFRIEND," merely someone who he started seeing AFTER he got here, but that she is also a FORMER LONG-TERM TENANT from years ago and is in great support of the Bards. And I believe she came back to the hotel BEFORE the new management took over. She's also kept in touch with people at the hotel over the years on a regular basis.
And no, I am NOT HER. I just happen to KNOW her.
It would be nice to know that what's read on Gothamist can be trusted rather than have easily confirmed facts be disregarded in favor of pure gossip spread by someone who wants to spin a story.
What's been going on at the hotel can be presented truthfully enough without this kind of irresponsible "reporting" and still show how much the Bards should be back in control.
Also, OF COURSE there are roaches in the hotel! I wouldn't call it "infested" or anything, but it IS New York City after all and the hotel is extremely old. You're going to come across a few roaches wherever you go in New York.
The Chelsea Hotel definately is an iconic landmark in NYC. However, the place looks horrible. Run down, dirty, in dire need of some "freshening up". I dont doubt that in his day Mr. Stanley knew what he was doing at the Chelsea, but maybe its time to "modernize"?