Chelsea Tower residents: the doormen are sweet, but the car tune ups aren't necessary

By Polly Mosendz | May 16, 2014 - 9:13AM

The building: Chelsea Tower, 100 West 26th Street

What you'll pay: Rentals available now start at just over $4,000 a month for a one-bedroom. For two-bedrooms, rents start at $6,295 a month.

Amenities: Terrace, fitness center ($300/year), maid service ($60 for a studio, $70 for a one-bedroom and $80 for a two-bedroom), laundry service ($1 per pound and standard dry cleaning prices), parking ($600/mo for a regular-size car, $800/mo for an oversized car; garage staff perform simple auto maintenance jobs like oil and washer fluid changes), security, bike storage ($20/year), storage units ($20/month), ATM ($2 surcharge)

Which amenities do you swear by?

Mariya: Weirdly, I really wanted the storage unit. I never had enough space in my old apartments. So that mattered to me. Also the gym is quite nice.

Drew: The ATM. Better get cash before I go out than deal with major fees at other places.

Becky: I'm not sure if the doormen really count, but the doormen! They're the best! They're super friendly.

Kristiana: I agree, the doormen are really thoughtful. I love the gym, it's nice. Better than my old gym that I way overpaid for.

Dahai: I don't use much of anything, I'm not home too much. I think if I didn't travel as often, I would make better use of it because they are good features, just haven't made use of them yet.

Which do you never use?

Mariya: Auto service? That seems really unnecessary, I don’t know anyone that uses it.

Becky: I don't use the car stuff or storage. I guess if I could justify the price I would order a maid but I don't think that's in my budget.

Kristiana: We have an ATM?

Dahai: Haven't really tried any of it yet, though again, I think I could one day. I don't own a car so I would never use the valet or park it here though.

What surprised you?

Drew: I thought I was going to use the gym a ton, but that never happened. It’s just a weird feeling going to the gym and seeing your neighbor. I like going to Crunch, and our center doesn’t do the classes I like.

Becky: I'm surprised I use the gym here as much as I do. It's just way more convenient when it's a few floors away.

Kristiana: The staff are really kind, they actually remember our names. It's a huge building.

Dahai: I didn't know everyone was so gung ho about amenities. I've been slacking. I'm also surprised how long I haven't been to the gym.

Did you move here for the amenities?

Mariya: Not really. The location did if for me; I always wanted to live in Chelsea. It was an easy rental, I liked the management company.

Drew: No. Those were just added perks. I wanted a doorman, but I didn’t really care about having all the fluff.

Becky: I think it was a push for the building but if one of the amenities disappeared, I wouldn't move.

Kristiana: Sure, it made an impact on me because it was sort of a full package deal. For a little more in rent, I feel like I've got a mini city in my building if I need it.

Dahai: Nope, my girlfriend lived here and had decent rent. So now I live here, and we have really decent rent.

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