Chelsea Hotel Donates To De Blasio While Seeking City OK: Report

CHELSEA, NY — The Chelsea Hotel owners seeking city approvals for major renovations have plied Mayor Bill de Blasio with thousands of dollars in campaign donations, according to a new report.

The owners of the historic hotel, Ira Drukier and Richard Born, have sent about $57,000 in donations to de Blasio's presidential campaign and political action committees — all while seeking a document from the city asserting they are not illegally booting out rent-stabilized tenants who currently live there, THE CITY reported.

A group of tenants at the Chelsea Hotel, on West 23rd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, have sued the owners, alleging that they were doing illegal construction work without the document, known as a Certificate of No Harassment, according to THE CITY.

As they await the certificate from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Drukier and Born put about $57,000 into de Blasio's political coffers through family members, employees and a limited liability corporation, THE CITY reported.

The slew of donations between August and June included $22,400 for de Blasio's presidential campaign and $35,000 to de Blasio's state and federal Fairness PACs, the news website wrote.

A representative for de Blasio's presidential campaign, Olivia Lapeyrolerie, told THE CITY, "The mayor has gone above and beyond the law in refusing to take contributions from anyone in the doing business database," referring to a database used to vet potential donors. THE CITY noted that the database does not include the Chelsea Hotel owners, but rather those who have contracts with city agencies.

A representative for the owners did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

For THE CITY's full report, click here.