Post-DOB ruling, seminary hotel has Chelsea neighbors riled

A Department of Buildings ruling in favor of the General Theological Seminary at 180 10th Avenue is riling neighbors, who contend that it stretches the law and sets a dangerous precedent by operating a commercial hotel out of its conference space. After a long-time dispute between the seminary and community members, the DOB ruled in November that the center could continue to run the hotel out of its Desmond Tutu Conference Center courtesy of a temporary certificate of occupancy. But, despite its claims that it is mostly using the space as a haven for conference attendees, neighbors now say that the seminary has been advertising rooms for the space on popular vacation Web sites like Expedia.com and Hotels.com, opening up the facility to tenants unaffiliated with conferences or events at the space.