Chelsea’s Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art Hits the Market
By Mark Hallum September 22, 2026 7:00 am
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A Midtown South museum is selling its 80,000-square-foot facility, Commercial Observer has learned.
The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art has retained JLL to sell its six-story building at 140–154 West 17th Street in Chelsea as it moves its business model away from having a single location, according to the brokerage. The property between Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue was built in the mid-19th century and has been the Rubin’s flagship since it opened in 2004.
JLL did not disclose the asking price, but the Rubin plans to use proceeds from the sale to fund its programs, which will focus on traveling exhibitions and long-term object loans to other museums.
“This is a truly one-of-a-kind asset in New York City,” David Carlos, head of JLL’s nonprofit, education and government practice, said in a statement. “Its rich history, institutional-quality infrastructure and architectural character make it exceptionally well-suited for a variety of uses. Opportunities like this, where a property can seamlessly adapt to cultural, educational, commercial or mixed-use applications, are extraordinarily rare in today’s market.”
In the 1980s, the building served as a flagship store for Barneys New York as the luxury department store expanded its Manhattan presence at the time. The property underwent a renovation by Beyer Blinder Belle, which turned adjoining apartments into the women’s section of the department store.
Then, in 2004, Beyer Blinder Belle adapted the building again into a facility suitable for the Rubin.
“JLL brings a proven track record of working with leading nonprofit and institutional organizations to maximize the value and impact of their real estate strategies,” Jorrit Britschgi, executive director of the Rubin, said in a statement.
The Rubin closed its doors in October 2024 as part of its new strategy, 26 years after the museum’s founders, Donald and Shelley Rubin, bought the property from Barney’s for $22 million.
Mark Hallum can be reached at mhallum@commercialobserver.com.
