As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, one of tragedies of the ouster of the Bard family is that the Chelsea is no longer fulfilling its historic mission of nurturing new artists. I have absolutely no interest in being one of the last Mohicans. And in the spirit of conciliation, Debbie and I will gladly give up our room in the Hotel if the following two conditions are met:
1. The return of the Bard family to a management role. No matter what you think of Stanley, he is the man who created the (recently much compromised) creative vibe of the Chelsea and maintained the hotel as a haven for artists for 50 years. None of us would be here if not for him.
2. An end to the current ban on new permanent residents. This is the only way to guarantee that the Chelsea continues to remain a vital artistic community in the years to come. (Transient guests are important, as they help liven things up, but in and of themselves they don’t constitute a community.) The best way to achieve this is to bring back the Bards.
Ed Hamilton
Living with Legends 
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