Hotel Chelsea: Rock and Roll’s Luxury Makeover

A New York City hotel in disrepair has received a much-needed makeover. What’s the big deal? Unpacking the grand relevance of the iconic Hotel Chelsea feels like an overwhelming task. A revered cultural landmark, this establishment has influenced many key periods of music, art, film, literature, poetry and lifestyle. Tales of the building's past continue to ripple through pop culture, making it as significant to Leonard Cohen fans as it is to teenage Swifties.

The building, at the time the tallest in Manhattan, opened its doors in 1884 as one of New York City’s first apartment cooperatives. Over the beginn...