More Drama Unfolds at the Hotel Chelsea as New GM Moves to Evict Long-Term Residents

October 22, 2008 at 5:22 PM | by Jenna | 0 Comments

Things have gone from bad to worse for the residents of the storied Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan this week (check out our full coverage of the saga here).

Yesterday, new GM Andrew Tilley -- who claimed to "be a friend to the tenants" -- is reported to have posted eviction notices on the doors of "a large number of residents," some of whom had been living at the hotel for up to twenty years.

According to the Living With Legends blog (written by the residents), some of these tenants were as behind as little as one month's rent and most were completely blindsided:

This action comes in stark contrast to the reassurances Tilley gave us at our Tenant's Association meeting in August. Though promising no free ride, Tilley specifically stated that he would give tenants a phone call to discuss their bills with them if they fell slightly behind in their rent.
But these eviction notices were apparently posted without a call or even a friendly reminder--which could have been dropped in tenants' boxes with a minimum of effort. If Tilley's aim was to spring on vulnerable tenants and catch them unawares with a frightening legal ultimatum, then he has certainly attained his goal.

Yikes. Understandably, the residents are upset and feel betrayed. But we can't help but sympathize with Mr. T just a little bit -- it is an economic downturn, after all, and the Chelsea has to make money somehow. He's just doing his job.

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