Synopsis

The legendary Chelsea Hotel, an icon of 1960s counterculture and a haven for famous artists and intellectuals including Patti Smith, Janis Joplin and the superstars of Warhol's Factory, is under renovation. Soon it will reopen to the public as one of New York's most fashionable luxury hotels. Dozens of people, most in their later years, still live amidst the scaffolding and constant construction. Against this chaotic backdrop, the film takes us through the hotel's storied halls, exploring its living body and the bohemian origins that contributed to its mythical stature. Its residents-casualties of capitalism-and the walls themselves now face a turning point in their common history.

The legendary Chelsea Hotel, an icon of 1960s counterculture and a haven for famous artists and intellectuals including Patti Smith, Janis Joplin and the superstars of Warhol's Factory, is under renovation. Soon it will reopen to the public as one of New York's most fashionable luxury hotels. Dozens of people, most in their later years, still live amidst the scaffolding and constant construction. Against this chaotic backdrop, the film takes us through the hotel's storied halls, exploring its living body and the bohemian origins that contributed to its mythical stature. Its residents-casualties of capitalism-and the walls themselves now face a turning point in their common history.