Union Raises Concerns Over Bacteria Levels at Chelsea Hotel

The New York Hotel & Gaming Trades Council has alerted the city’s health department to potential public health risks at the High Line Hotel in Chelsea, citing test results that indicate the presence of Legionella bacteria in the building's cooling systems.

According to the union, internal testing conducted earlier this summer identified bacteria levels at 170 colony-forming units per milliliter (cfu/mL), followed by a reading of 700 cfu/mL on July 23. Under municipal regulations, any concentration exceeding 10 cfu/mL necessitates disinfection and subsequent testing, while levels surpassing 1,000 cfu/mL trigger mandatory remediation and immediate notification to health authorities.

Union representatives stated that they initially sought to remove staff from the property after management allegedly failed to provide documentation regarding cleaning efforts. While arbitration eventually led to the disclosure of remediation records, the union has continued to press for further action following the July 23 test results.

City health officials confirmed they have received a complaint and are currently reviewing the hotel’s cooling infrastructure. Records show that a city inspection of the property’s two cooling towers on July 1 did not detect the presence of the bacteria.

Experts caution that elevated bacteria counts do not automatically signal an immediate health crisis. Janet Stout, an infectious disease microbiologist, noted that there is no direct correlation between specific numerical counts and the risk of disease transmission, as multiple environmental factors influence whether an outbreak occurs. Furthermore, she explained that cleaning processes can sometimes cause bacteria to detach from surfaces, leading to temporary spikes in test results.

It remains unclear whether the bacteria identified in the union-led tests belong to the specific strain most frequently linked to Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia that is contracted by inhaling contaminated water droplets but is not transmissible between people.

City Councilmember Carl Wilson has publicly urged the health department to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure the safety of both hotel guests and employees. Management at the High Line Hotel has not yet provided a formal statement regarding the recent test findings.