Readers of this blog know that the apartment building at 160 West 24th Street, which was previously called The Chelsea, has lately been illegally converted to a hotel—with all the permanent residents save one family being forced out—and renamed The Marriott Execustay.
Well, we’ve just received word—via an anonymous tipster—that a hotel is not the only illegal business being run at that address. Apparently, in violation of their Certificate of Occupancy, the owners are also operating a commercial parking garage where customers park by the hour and day.
You can check it out for yourself at the DOB web site : Certificate of Occupancy #116502 clearly states that the only legal use of the space is for a 15 car accessory garage for tenant use. Yet, according to our tipster, when a DOB inspector (unmistakable in a NYC-issued Prius) visited on February 1 of this year, the garage was filled with over 50 cars!
Our tipster states that the owners, Chelsea Commonwealth LLC (owned in turn by Lasalle Investment Management Inc.), have been cited numerous times for this violation by the DOB, and twice fined $800 by the Environmental Control Board. A slap on the wrist, but at least it’s a start. As of yet, nothing has come of the February 1 inspection. “What’s going on?” our tipster asks. “Let’s wait and see.”
I'll spread the word on this one. None of my business associates will ever park in that garage again! Where do these people get off?! "Gee, I'll just turn my apartment building into a hotel and my driveway into a parking garage today. To hell with the laws." Get out of our neighborhood you white collar gangsters!
Posted by: Jonathan L. | February 16, 2008 at 08:30 AM