Her response, which still leaves a lot of questions, is published in full below.  Since when can a landmark building be leveled?  Patti, have you actually looked at the "renovations"?  The historic rooms have been gutted.  And, in case you haven't noticed, there are already a lot of artists in residence here and a lot of them are facing eviction proceedings. 

HOTEL CHELSEA

My current involvement with the Hotel Chelsea began some
… months ago when I heard rumors that the hotel would be
leveled. I was devastated and entered in a dialogue with the
architect, through a mutual friend.

He assured me this was not the case and every effort would
be made to save and restore the building, which was greatly
deteriorating. Having witnessed the demolition and
redevelopment of much of our city I was at least hopeful
that the hotel would stand.

Since then my few efforts on behalf of the Hotel have been
unofficial and uncompensated.

My dialogue has continued with the architect. My personal
objectives have always been:

— To offer uncompensated advice as to the aesthetics
of the renovation project.

— To council all concerned to develop positive
communication to the rightful tenants.

— To be available in the future, without fee, in
participating in the development and preservation of the
artistic cachet of the hotel.

— To participate in the development of a possible
artists-in-residence program.

My small performance for the tenants was my own idea. My
hope is that we might have a nice evening and the
opportunity to communicate directly.

I am an independent person, not owned or directed by anyone.
My allegiance is to the Hotel itself, and I have done
nothing to tarnish it. It is very difficult for me to
embrace change, but my great hope is to witness the Hotel
Chelsea find a strong and positive place in the twenty-first
century.

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5 responses to “Patti Smith Responds via a Publicist with an Official Statement about the Chelsea Hotel”

  1. Pants On Fire Avatar
    Pants On Fire

    Patti with friends like this you don’t need enemies
    they lied to you and then lied some more about their motives.
    We of the Hotel Chelsea are under siege, we’re endangered and
    imperiled and have been for several years. Your friends don’t
    care about us or our well being. Is it possible they only care
    about you for some self serving reason? For what you can do
    for them? The only way WE can help them is to move out of our
    homes. this is a doomed scheme to rehabilitate their public image
    after willfully destroying one of the greatest cultural meccas this
    city nay this country has ever known.
    If the concert was your idea, can it be you’re not aware
    how inappropriate it is?

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  2. Frances Beemer Avatar
    Frances Beemer

    Her relationship is not with the architect – it’s with Hotelier Ed Scheetz:
    http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/25/settlement-reached-overdose-death-former-hard-rock/
    Friends like these? Yes, they kiss your butt, Patti, but just because people are nice to you doesn’t mean they’re nice people!

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  3. DonJon Avatar

    Patti:
    I know you were well intended in your effort to support the “New” Chelsea. Change is inevitable: the only constant in life.
    The Chelsea changed my life and gave it greater purpose. This is her legacy, she protected the purpose of Art, housed great dreamers, and gave refuge from the soulless pursuits of the capital class.
    The new life of this great monument to Art must be honed from this same purpose, that original creation is Humanity’s greatest purpose. Otherwise, it will become nothing more than a building with an interesting history.
    I hope you will use your considerable talent, connections, and resources to assure that the New Chelsea continue in the spirit of the old.
    All the best,
    DonJon.

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  4. Lawrence Avatar

    I would suggest getting everyone at the Hotel who is being evicted to show up and OCCUPY the concert and then communicate their strong displeasure to Patti about the current Hotel management plans.
    Obviously Patti could be a strong voice on the side of the tenants, but perhaps she doesn’t know the whole story of what is going on at the Hotel.

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  5. sds@aol.com Avatar
    sds@aol.com

    Frances , Patti does NOT know who Ed Scheetz is . I was there tonight and the managment asked her to say happy birthday to him and it was funny because she said ” I want to say happy B day to Ed Scheetz … even though I don’t know who he is”
    And BTW she and Kaufman go back decades !! And he is the one who hooked this whole Patti Smth thing up . Fact!

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