On my way to the Sonic Café this morning noticed lots of activity in front of Artspace. Everyone was waiting for the guy with the key...including one person who moved in last night and couldn't get out!
Midtown's newest residents...making Artspace their home...
Met up with Lukia Costello and was quickly invited to help carry a few things in. Here's a peek inside her 5th floor studio.
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Place still looks like a construction site and imagine there will be a few stories about this in the days or weeks ahead...
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Seems like the projected August 1st move in date for the new units behind the Main Street building will be pushed back. Heard from a few sources that windows don't fit the openings. Here's two of the six new buildings. One person moving in mentioned that Artspace had recently opened up the list to non-artists...trying to track some additional sources about this.
Hope to have some additional interior views soon. Amazing development for Buffalo and this part of the City's near East side. My first Artspace post, in December 2004 - here, seems like decades ago. Check out the pix/Artspace to see the site's development on a weekly basis since June 2006.
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9 comments:
Regarding some of the negativity surrounding this project and the move-in issues, I am somewhat disgusted by the attitudes of people moving into this place.
Yes, I am one of the soon-to-be tenants. I toured with a group of people that, frankly, I am not looking forward to living among. Every person in the group had something bad to say about the place. One woman moving into a three bedroom complained about all the walls that had gone up in her unit since she first saw the place. Um, it's a three bedroom - some walls would be expected, I think. Another couple (who will be paying less than $600 for a two bedroom, 1500 sq.ft. apartment facing west) complained about everything. Please, do the rest of us a favor and don't move in here!
Also, it's worth noting that most of the future tenants I've met are not artists. There is supposed to be an artist/arts "preference", but I will make a rough estimate that at least half have no relationship to the arts. Maybe it was the non-artists making the complaints. I would think any artist, starving or not, would find this an amazing opportunity. I almost fell over when I saw the size of the apartment I am moving into, and I know it would easily go for at least $1500/mo.
Undoubtedly, someone will interpret my own comments as negative. Yes, that is probably the case, since I am being negative about all of the negativity. Sigh...
Anon 7:57...
Aside from specific issues that i've addressed in covering AS since December 2004, I've been VERY positive about development at this site.
This is news...about non-artists moving in...
Very much appreciate your comments. Possible meet-up sometime? Email me when you have a chance fixbuffalo@gmail.com
Lemme tell you, I love the place. Sure there was a bit of stress but, hell, life is filled with all kinds of stress. I got over it, quick.
I was supposed to move in on the 13th and it was delayed. Artspace went over and above to assist me with problems that resulted from the scheduling snafu.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to live it such a beautiful space.
Two thousand thanks to everyone involved. You've done a lovely job!
the non-artists moving in is news id like to hear a lot more about. i am a big fan of inclusiveness, but it seems to defeat much of the purpose of the project. im an artist who is moving in, and to be honest, one of the selling points was being emerged into a community of all other artists. there are many projects that can and should cater to lower income communities, but a major component to the project is a group of artists moving into a neighborhood and having a positive impact there. every artspace project i've seen has enormous waiting lists of artists who want to get into them. maybe this project is too big for buffalo right now. by this i mean, maybe they should have just rehabbed the old building. it seems like a problem that artists aren't beating down the doors trying to get in. i would definitely like to know more.
To the last poster - I do suspect that not enough artists were aware of the project, so offers were made to non-artist applicants to fill up the place. I'm not going to be specific in describing anyone that does not seem to be an artist/arts supporter (at least not the blog). I can tell you that on every walk-through with Bryan, including one last week, he is still asking people to submit applications, which seemed a little weird because I thought the building was filled.
I think that in response to some of the commentary and inquiry it is important to mention why ( or possibly why.. ) more artists have not applied to the new Artspace.
The price per month to space ratio are really not all that hot in Buffalo standards. I am an artist living in a private residence, huge four bedroom, good condition for 425+ on the west side. There is more than enough space for me , a roommate and my work, which makes it very inexpensive. I'm even in a good quiet neighborhood and not on main street with Delta Sonic as my friendly neighbor. Even without a roommate this apt. is very reasonable, and in comparison to some of what I've seen of Artspace, luxurious and home-like.
On the other hand the idea of an artists community where we all could learn and thrive as artists together is a wonderful idea that has worked in other cities. I do wonder if this is possible in a city like Buffalo that has greater need of a community of art patrons.
If I where in need of a place to live I would certainly apply for admittance into Artspace. I do think it is a great idea with proven success in other cities. But perhaps Buffalo is too much of a blue collar town that has a populace more concerned with mundane sports teams, gambling, and fishing than art. Then again I really don't mean to be negative but speculation is needed to look at why This apt. complex called Artspace is filling up with low income non-artists. But then again what makes an artist? Is low income the judge?
So What is it? Cost? Location? Every artist I know certainly has knowledge of the construction and option of Artspace, so its not lack of advertisement. I'm also fully certain that there is no lack of artists in Buffalo, you can't shake a stick without hitting a great ( or at least ok...) artist on every street corner.So what is it?
Is there any plan within the function of Artspace that may supply artist tenants with Gallery space? Facilities? or Help with Grant or residency opportunities?
Please forgive me if I am ignorant of any of the plans or missions Artspace may have in store. I will also repeat what a grand idea this is, but is it just a low-cost apt. complex that will soon be filled with anyone with low enough income? Is the complex being filled up with anyone in order to pay for the renovations as soon as possible? What makes this an Art-space?
I hope this all works out for the best, I really do.
in response to the comment above. Im pretty sure that artspace provides a gallery space for the artists who live there to use and decide how to use. there are a myriad resources that living in a space like this has, and it is the tenants themselves who determine how the space is utilized.
is there any more news on the artspace thing? i have friends who are artists who are being told that there is a one year wait so i guess the filled up the building.
I'm just curious to know if non artists can apply to artspace. Although I may not be an artist my husband and I are passionate about the arts especially poetry and music. I just think it's interesting that that in a city that is clearly in need of new housing projects that when one comes along that is wonderfully developing,there are certain restrictions placed on it.
Eager Applicant
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