~FRANK GEHRY/Barry Diller

Gehry #1

Gehry # 2

The almost completed Frank Gehry building on 11th Avenue, between 18th and 19th Streets is a glorious sign of the arrival of that ‘beautiful people’ power couple, Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg to the Chelsea art world.

The translucent building, which will be the headquarters for Barry Diller’s IAC/Interactive Corp, will be joined by the Diane Von Furstenberg boutique building rising on the corner of 14th and Washington. When the two buildings are up and running, they will become ‘must see’ destinations for the International art and fashion crowd.

This brilliant move by Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg will not only enhance their own projects, it will confirm Chelsea as the center of the art world for the next 20 years. David Zwirner, whose ‘hot’ gallery on 19th St. is just across the road from the Frank Gehry building, has recently acquired the building on the west side of his gallery – and has arranged to rent the building on the other side, so he can expand, an obvious vote of confidence in the future.

The fact that ‘art Kingpin’ Larry Gagosian is also developeing a new space on 21st St., underlines the idea that development in Chelsea has entered a new dynamic phase.

Photos: Nancy Smith, Chelsea, NYC, May 10, 2006