The Zebra Building rendering in front of West 29th St, looking north toward the top of the street. Original photo taken in early 2020s. Digitally altered, and will be updated with a real-life photo when the painting is done.

527 W 29th St, Chelsea

What’s the Zebra Building?

The Zebra Building is a place for art, exhibitions, events, food and drink, and other projects connected to culture, community, and the natural world. Originally completed in 1900, the building is currently undergoing renovation, with more to unfold in the coming months as it comes to life once again.

A headshot of  Grevy'z Zebra photographed in central Kenya, December 2023.

Why the Zebra?

The Zebra Building’s striped façade is based on the anatomically accurate pattern of an individual Grévy’s zebra, an endangered species native to East Africa with fewer than 3,000 remaining in the wild. This pattern is from a specific animal photographed in central Kenya by building owner Conor Myhrvold and his family. Unfolding across the building’s exterior, the façade extends the visual language of the natural world into West Chelsea, complementing the trees, grasses, flowers, and plantings of the High Line above. Nature is, after all, flora and fauna.