Construction of the Chelsea Recreation Center, located in the historic Chelsea area of Manhattan, was initiated over 30 years ago by the Department of Parks and Recreation of the City of New York. Left incomplete during the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, a virtual shell of a building, it has remained vacant until 2001, when the City of New York elected to resurect the project and complete the Center.

Koutsomitis Architects was retained to restore the existing 56,000 s.f. structure and to complete the project as a comprehensive multipurpose recreation center. A new competition sized pool and modern gymnasium are the major spaces within the center, complimented by meeting and seminar rooms; locker rooms; educational and art workshop studios and community facilities. This project was completed in 2003 for the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.