Monday: The Chapin School Is A Bad Neighbor; Ian Schrager Is Marlon Brando; A Jersey Boy Is Rich!

Schrager and 54 pal

• The posh Chapin School is expanding at East End Avenue and 84th Street (their science labs weren't nice enough, apparently). But Community Board 8 hasn't been so pleased with the Chapinites: "I just wish the school, trying to teach citizenship to these young ladies," said a board member, "would practice some citizenship itself by meeting with the neighbors." Who cares about neighbors? A brief visit to the school's website reveals, "Everyone at Chapin understands the importance of respect, consideration and good citizenship."(The New York Times)
• One would think a story titled "Jersey boy breaks into NYC club" would involve vodka-induced violence on West 24th Street. Instead, it's a business profile of Steven Pozycki, who has become "the talk of real estate circles" thanks to his "trophy" purchase on 42nd Street. Congratulations, Jersey boy. (Crain's)
• How to classify Ian Schrager and Julian Schnabel's $210 million makeover of the Gramercy Park Hotel? "Evocative, eccentric, eclectic, personal," is the wrap-up from Travel+Leisure. (Later comparisons range from "bordello in Paris" to "Citizen Kane"). How about this all-telling fact instead: before its renovation, the hotel had 506 rooms--now it's got 185. (Travel+Leisure)
• First came FoxNews' Greta in her $2.57 million penthouse. Now, a second penthouse at the glassy 1600 Broadway will be home to the $22,000-per-year Private Escapes Destination Club. But is Times Square either a private or pleasurable destination? Maybe so--because three other penthouses at 1600 belong to similar clubs. (New York Times)
• Update: Tragically, the comment below is correct: Schnabel, not Philippe Starck, designed GPH... Thanks, Sean. - Max Abelson