Chelsea’s Star Cinema Building Sold for $24M

A 1920s Chelsea warehouse previously used to store cinema equipment has sold for $23.8 million, according to city records made public Friday.

Steven Tannenbaum, through the entity 217 West 21 Street, offloaded the property at 217-219 West 21st Street, which has been converted into a three-story multifamily townhouse, to a limited liability company Star Cinema Building, records show.

The identity of the buyer is unknown, but Holland & Knight attorney Joshua Berengarten signed for the buyer, according to records. 

It’s unclear who brokered the deal. Berengarten and a spokesperson for Corcoran, which listed the site for sale, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Tannenbaum could not be reached for comment.

Tannenbaum bought the mid-block building between Seventh and Eighth avenues in December 2016 for an undisclosed amount, property records show, after Alice Tannenbaum previously sold the property in 1994.

The building, also known as the Star Cinema Building, was originally a lumberyard but was taken over by the Star Cinema Supply company in the `70s to store film equipment, according to a website for the property.

More recently, it was previously home to office tenants such as fantasy sports provider Draft, but it now seems to be a mix of a private club, art gallery and studios.

The property features a two-car garage on the ground floor, a loft on the second floor and an active studio for artists on the third floor, according to Corcoran’s listing.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.