By Stephen Duffy 1/12/12 3:28pm

Checking in

It won't be the same, will it? (PBS)

Because the Night Belongs to Chetrit: Patti Smith Still Playing Chelsea Hotel, Boos Be Damned

Patti Smith has come out in defense of her imminent gig at the Chelsea Hotel, releasing a statement that includes bullet points underlining her reasons for organizing this Thursday’s soirée. “My small performance for the tenants was my own idea.” She said, distancing herself from any collusion with the owners, “My hope is that we might have a nice evening and the opportunity to communicate directly.” Read More

By Tom Acitelli 7/05/11 7:04pm

Building Expectations

The Chelsea.

Joseph Chetrit, the Most Mysterious Big Shot in New York Real Estate

One summer Friday in 1994, Ron Cohen, one of the top commercial brokers in New York City, picked up the phone in his office at the old Insignia/ESG, a precursor to today’s mega-brokerage CB Richard Ellis. A man named Joseph Chetrit was cold-calling him about a 16-story office building at 19 West 44th Street that Mr. Cohen’s client was selling.

“Sorry,” Mr. Cohen said. “We don’t work with people we don’t know.”

He hung up and went back to work.

Minutes later, three men walked into Mr. Cohen’s office. They were Joseph Chetrit, his father Simon, and his brother Jacques.

“Well, now you know us,” Joseph said matter-of-factly. Read More