Editing Hotel Chelsea (section)

==== 1960s and 1970s ====
[[File:Chelsea Hotel (52323419077).jpg|thumb|The hotel viewed from the northeast]]
By the mid-1960s, the hotel began to attract artists who frequented [[Andy Warhol]]'s [[The Factory|Factory]] studio,<ref name="Tippins pp. 209–210">{{harvnb|Tippins|2013|ps=.|pp=209–210}}</ref> as well as rock musicians (who were not allowed in many other hotels).<ref name="Dwyer 2007">{{Cite news |last=Dwyer |first=Jim|author-link=Jim Dwyer (journalist)|date=June 20, 2007 |title=The Changing of the Guard at the Chelsea|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/20/nyregion/20about.html |access-date=October 13, 2023 |archive-date=November 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126011944/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/20/nyregion/20about.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Tippins p. 229">{{harvnb|Tippins|2013|ps=.|p=229}}</ref> The ''[[Austin American-Statesman|Austin American]]'' described the hotel as having "400 rooms, 150 kitchens, and 150 fireplaces".<ref name="The Austin Statesman 1966">{{Cite news |date=March 30, 1966 |title=Chelsea Hotel Same Amid Hell's Kitchen |page=7 |work=The Austin Statesman |id={{ProQuest|1516026643}}}}</ref> The hotel was physically decaying during that time,<ref name="Tippins pp. 209–210" /> though the facade was cleaned.<ref name="The Austin Statesman 1966" /> The [[New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission]] (LPC) designated the Hotel Chelsea as a city landmark in March 1966,<ref>{{cite news|date=March 23, 1966 |title=12 Buildings Chosen as City Landmarks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/03/23/archives/12-buildings-chosen-as-city-landmarks.html |access-date=October 19, 2023|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|archive-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308075152/https://www.nytimes.com/1966/03/23/archives/12-buildings-chosen-as-city-landmarks.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 23, 1966 |title=Board Selects 12 Landmarks |page=517 |newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]|via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-board-selects-12-landmarks/133729162/ |access-date=October 19, 2023 |archive-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021222923/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-board-selects-12-landmarks/133729162/ |url-status=live}}</ref> a decision ratified by the [[New York City Board of Estimate]] that June,<ref name="The New York Times 1966">{{Cite news |date=June 11, 1966 |title=City Estimate Board Calls Chelsea Hotel a Landmark|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/06/11/archives/city-estimate-board-calls-chelsea-hotel-a-landmark.html |access-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-date=March 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317223107/https://www.nytimes.com/1966/06/11/archives/city-estimate-board-calls-chelsea-hotel-a-landmark.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 11, 1966 |title=Chelsea Hotel, Home of Artists, Named Landmark |page=3 |work=The Buffalo News |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-chelsea-hotel-home-of/133732032/ |access-date=October 19, 2023 |archive-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021222924/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-chelsea-hotel-home-of/133732032/ |url-status=live}}</ref> despite opposition from a local planning board, which called the Chelsea a "shabby institution".<ref name="The New York Times 1966" /><ref name="Tippins p. 210">{{harvnb|Tippins|2013|ps=.|p=210}}</ref> The hotel, which was recognized for both architectural and historical significance,<ref name="NPS p. 3" /><ref name="Tippins pp. 209–210" /> thus became one of the city's first official landmarks.<ref name="NPS p. 3" /> Later the same year, Bard decided to redecorate the lobby<ref name="Variety 1966" /> after the release of Warhol's film ''[[Chelsea Girls]]'' drew attention to the hotel.<ref name="Variety 1966">{{cite magazine |date=December 21, 1966 |title=Vintage Hotel Chelsea No Like Warhol's 'Girls'; Not Its Kinda of Frail |magazine=Variety |volume=245 |issue=5 |pages=1, 16 |id={{ProQuest|963026950}}}}</ref><ref name="Tippins p. 213">{{harvnb|Tippins|2013|ps=.|p=213}}</ref> The staircase was also cleaned in phases from top to bottom.<ref name="West 1968">{{Cite news |last=West |first=Isabel |date=December 8, 1968 |title=The Chelsea Hotel |page=A16 |work=Boston Globe |id={{ProQuest|366727245}}}}</ref>

The popularity of ''Chelsea Girls''—along with that of the album ''[[Blonde on Blonde]]'', written by Chelsea Hotel resident [[Bob Dylan]]—attracted many aspiring artists and actors to the hotel during the late 1960s, in spite of its rundown condition.{{sfn|Tippins|2013|pp=215–216}} About half of the rooms were occupied by permanent residents by the early 1970s; although new residents had to pay at least $400 ({{inflation|index=US|value=400|start_year=1970|fmt=eq}}{{inflation-fn|US|group=lower-alpha}}) per month, older residents were protected by [[rent regulation]] and paid as little as $155 a month ({{inflation|index=US|value=155|start_year=1970|fmt=eq}}{{inflation-fn|US|group=lower-alpha}}).<ref name="Cheshes 2022" /> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' magazine wrote that the Chelsea was "the only landmark building still doing business" from the time when the neighborhood was a major theatrical hub.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Baral |first=Robert |date=January 10, 1973 |title=Miscellany: N.Y.'s Chelsea Zone To Redevelop Into A New Cultural & Show Biz Hub |magazine=Variety |volume=269 |issue=9 |pages=2, 60 |id={{ProQuest|1032460561}}}}</ref> The hotel's residents included many stage and film stars, artists, and "less conventional celebrities", who stayed despite the lack of modern amenities and the presence of pests.<ref name="Hilts 1975" /> The cheapest units tended to have more issues.<ref name="Payne 1977">{{cite news |last=Payne |first=Peggy |date=January 23, 1977 |title=Writers, artists: Hotel Chelsea lures the famous |page=C10|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|id={{ProQuest|169523052}}}}</ref> For many residents, however, there was "no life outside the Hotel", so they did not feel compelled to move.{{sfn|Tippins|2013|p=254}} By the early 1970s, residents were increasingly unable to pay rent because of a general economic downturn,<ref name="Tippins pp. 290–291">{{harvnb|ps=.|Tippins|2013|pp=290–291}}</ref> and Bard was forced to evict some residents to reduce expenses.{{sfn|Tippins|2013|pp=297–298}}

The hotel was in decline by the mid-1970s, with graffitied walls and a cockroach infestation.<ref name="Tippins 2022" /><ref name="Tippins p. 320" /> Residents removed some of the stained-glass windows and iron grates for scrap.{{sfn|Tippins|2013|p=310}} It was common to see drug users in bathrooms and drug dealers in the hallways,<ref name="Tippins 2022" /> and a brothel also operated openly within the hotel.<ref name="Buckley 2010">{{Cite news |last=Buckley |first=Cara |date=December 8, 2010 |title=As Hotel of Stars and Grit Faces Uncertain Future, the City Shrugs|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/nyregion/08chelsea.html |access-date=October 13, 2023 |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221173516/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/nyregion/08chelsea.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Resident suicides and fires were frequent,<ref name="Buckley 2010" /><ref name="Tippins 2013" /> as were robberies.<ref name="Tippins pp. 290–291" /> Robbers held several residents hostage in a 1974 robbery,<ref name="Fleming 1983" /><ref>{{cite news|title=2 Hold 15 in Hotel 2 Hours, Rape One|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 21, 1974 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/10/21/archives/2-hold-15-in-hotel-2-hours-rape-one-robbery-victims-are-placed-in.html |access-date=October 20, 2023 |archive-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021222923/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/10/21/archives/2-hold-15-in-hotel-2-hours-rape-one-robbery-victims-are-placed-in.html |url-status=live|postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=October 21, 1974 |title=Chelsea Hotel Robberies |page=12|newspaper=[[Newsday]]|via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-chelsea-hotel/133774809/ |access-date=October 20, 2023 |archive-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021223426/https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-chelsea-hotel/133774809/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and the Chelsea was damaged in a 1978 fire that killed one resident.<ref name="The New York Times 1978" /> The death of [[Nancy Spungen]] at the hotel in 1978,<ref name="Schindler 1978">{{cite news |last=Schindler |first=Jean |date=October 13, 1978 |title=Rock Artist Held in Friend's Death |page=9|newspaper=[[Newsday]]|id={{ProQuest|964384205}}}}</ref> and the death of her boyfriend—[[Sid Vicious]], who had been charged with her murder—the next year, brought further negative attention to the hotel.<ref name="Tippins 2022" />{{sfn|Tippins|2013|p=341}} Nonetheless, the Chelsea's reputation as an artists' and authors' haven remained intact.<ref name="Burke 1983" /> Although there were frequent remarks about the "downright creepy" atmosphere,<ref name="Tippins p. 325">{{harvnb|ps=.|Tippins|2013|p=325}}</ref> many residents remained in spite of the decline in both the hotel and the surrounding neighborhood.{{sfn|Tippins|2013|p=293}} Bard dispelled concerns by saying that any major crime at the hotel was covered by the media due to the Chelsea's bohemian nature.<ref name="Fleming 1983" /> According to Laurie Johnston of ''The New York Times'', the hotel had "some glittery (and, to some old-liners, scary) clientele among rock musicians and such".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johnston |first=Laurie |date=May 25, 1979 |title=A Walk Through Chelsea's Literary Past|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/25/archives/a-walk-through-chelseas-literary-past-walking-tour-on-sunday.html |access-date=October 20, 2023 |archive-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021223426/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/25/archives/a-walk-through-chelseas-literary-past-walking-tour-on-sunday.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The hotel was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1977.<ref name="Tippins p. 320">{{harvnb|ps=.|Tippins|2013|p=320}}</ref>