The company has come a long way since its beginnings with its first venue. “I had quite a bit to learn about the events industry when I opened Glasshouse Chelsea ,” admits founder Jack Guttman. And he certainly didn’t foresee that Glasshouses would grow to be one of New York City’s event industry’s game changers.

As word spread about the space – unobstructed views on the gorgeous 14 ^th and 21st floors of the Chelsea Arts Tower, at the time the tallest building in the hip Chelsea neighborhood– the calls rolled in.  First for photo shoots and movie shoots, then from event planners and caterers. To help with logistics, Guttman enlisted the expertise of Perry Brocco, a veteran of the hospitality world.

Together they identified the strengths of Glasshouse Chelsea– formerly known as The Glasshouses — beginning with the unique size, and stunning vistas of New York City.  “It was very intimate; we filled a void in the city for an event space of this size,” says Brocco. The “blank canvas” flexibility was a huge plus, but also its standalone aesthetics: floor-to ceiling windows to frame panoramas of the Hudson River, downtown and midtown Manhattan, plus the rare outdoor city terrace.  “What was great, and what’s still great about the space is that you don’t have to go overboard with design.  You don’t want to compete with the views.”

Glasshouse Chelsea really took off when Guttman and Brocco played to the market, over time adding features like tables, chairs, and lighting to enhance its appeal to a range of clients and making it a home for many repeat customers. “We wanted to create a seamless customer experience;  we became more inclusive and full-service than when we initially started,” says Guttman.

And the amenities went above and beyond, providing a high-caliber hospitality experience and simplifying the event planning process for clients.  The venue offered a doorman, elevator operator, restroom attendants, cleanup, and security. Clients were able to select their catering without restriction, a unique advantage in the field. “Usually with a lot of places they said you use either one, two or three of these caterers,” says Brocco. “We wanted our clients to be able to choose caterers who reflected their vision.”

Clients, from out-of-town brides to experienced planners who know every inch of the space, flocked to the venue for events.  Throughout the years, Glasshouse Chelsea has also attracted high-profile clientele like Justin Bieber, who chose it for his New Year’s party, after performing on television earlier on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. An NFL owner recreated a desert tent with candles, antique rugs and sand for an Arabian nights theme. For multiple seasons the Brooks Brothers with Zac Posen opted to hold their Fashion Week presentations in the space, building unobtrusive white risers to elevate the models against the windows.  Corporations like Omega were also inspired, transforming the space with blue LED lights to appear underwater.

And then there was the time Oprah showed up.  One of the most memorable moments for Guttman and Brocco was when the talk show royalty’s team transformed Glasshouse Chelsea into a living room in the sky, for her intimate and momentous 2013 interview with Lindsay Lohan (an interview that  Lohan has later said changed the course of her life).

“I wasn’t told what it was for until the day before,” recalls Brocco. “They were here for three days building the set out, bringing in special furniture.” The set was homey and serene, with white furniture. And behind the two stars the windows streamed in daylight, showcasing the New York City landscape.

At 75,000 square feet, its new venue, The Glasshouse will be the largest waterfront penthouse event space in the city, with outdoor terraces and ceilings up to 40 feet high. Six years in the making, Guttman was motivated by untapped demand.

“When we opened up the Glasshouse Chelsea we had limitations on how many people we could host for a sit down dinner and a cocktail party,” says Brocco. “We had vendors and venues that we’d suggest if we couldn’t handle larger events.” Now the suggestions will be for their own venue, as they’ve taken a proven, successful business model and scaled it up.

Says Brocco: “The whole industry has been waiting for this place for years.”

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