Chelsea Piers Founder Lists NYC Townhouse for $6.6 Million

The Upper West Side townhouse owned by Roland Betts, the founder of Chelsea Piers and a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers, is now on the market for $6.6 million. This represents a price reduction from its initial asking price of $9.5 million in 2023. Betts, who also has a background in film financing and development, is selling the property with his wife, Lois.

The four-story limestone-clad residence at 313 W. 102nd St. was purchased by the Betts in 1972 for $150,000. The home, designed by architect Clarence Fagan True and built in 1892 by developer Charles G. Judson, is one of four surviving townhouses of its kind. The couple, who met as teachers, held their wedding at the home the same year they bought it.

Over the decades, the townhouse has hosted numerous gatherings, including visits from former President George W. Bush, a Yale classmate of Betts.

Betts's involvement with Chelsea Piers began when he sought a new ice skating practice rink for his daughter. In 1992, he partnered with Tom Bernstein and David Tewksbury to redevelop abandoned piers on Manhattan's West Side into a sports complex. Chelsea Piers opened in 1995, featuring facilities like ice rinks and gymnastics studios, drawing millions of visitors annually.

Betts also had a notable career in film production, co-founding Silver Screen Management with Bernstein. His production credits include films such as "Pretty Woman," "Beauty and the Beast," "Gandhi," and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids."

The residence has a historical connection to the Roosevelt family. Eleanor Roosevelt's father, Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt, lived in the house until his death in 1894. He was the younger brother of President Theodore Roosevelt.

After purchasing the home, the Betts restored it from multiple apartments into a single-family residence, where they raised their two daughters, Maggie Betts, a film director, and Jessica Betts Dreyfuss, who works at Chelsea Piers Management.

The 6,000-square-foot townhouse offers four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. It also features an extensive 1,337-square-foot English-style garden, which Roland Betts continues to tend to personally. Despite moving to a nearby residence due to the house's spiral staircase and lack of an elevator, the Betts remain involved with the garden's upkeep.

Interior features of the home include casement windows, three fireplaces, and a renovated chef's kitchen on the garden level with limestone tiles and custom cabinets. The dining room, adjacent to the kitchen, has a wood-burning fireplace and French doors leading to a patio. The parlor floor boasts a living room with 11-foot ceilings and another fireplace. The primary bedroom is situated on the third floor, offering views of the garden. A lower level contains storage and laundry facilities.

The garden itself is described as a lush space with hostas, ferns, white hydrangeas, pink caladiums, lantana, and mums.