Battles between artists and landlords are nearly as plentiful in New York City as galleries themselves. But a recent spate of attempted evictions and other conflicts in a three-story brick building in Ridgewood, Queens, is buffeting a young outpost of the art world just as the area is earning a reputation for affordable studio space and vibrant openings.
Artists who moved into the former factory at 17-17 Troutman Street in recent years found spacious studios with high ceilings, dramatic views of the Manhattan skyline and rents as low as $1.30 a square foot. Dozens of painters and sculptors helped each other renovate spaces there, shared thoughts about their work and the art market and began organizing shows, with some of the studios doubling as exhibition spaces.
The influx of artists brought new life to the building, near the border of Bushwick, Brooklyn, which was emptied by the city in 2007 after officials found that it had been illegally converted into residential and commercial lofts. But toward the end of last year, disputes began to surface as a man whom tenants identify as the building’s landlord cited security concerns about the crowds showing up at 17-17 Troutman Street for exhibition openings.
The landlord, David Steinberg, also came into conflict with some artists who said that he demanded hundreds of dollars in heat and electricity payments that were not required by their leases.
Several of the building’s residents said they had cordial relationships with Mr. Steinberg and did not intend to leave. But some artists who work there said that they feared that the same economic forces that have displaced artists over the decades from pioneering art neighborhoods — including SoHo, the Lower East Side and, in Brooklyn, Williamsburg and the gritty Industry City complex in Sunset Park — might be starting to have a similar effect in Ridgewood.
Complicating matters, city records indicate that the owner of record at 17-17 Troutman, the Gladiator Realty Corporation, has broken a rule by failing to obtain a certificate of occupancy from the New York City Department of Buildings that would allow people to work in the second- and third-floor studios. The Buildings Department issued a violation in March because of the missing certificate, and a hearing is planned before an Environmental Control Board judge.
7 comments:
Pray tell, how can artists really make a living in NYC? How much of their work can they sell in such a saturated market? How can they afford to pay for rent, food, transportation, utilities, clothing, health insurance???
I could never figure this out. Are they selling Picasso quality work? How can a community sustain itself with artists only?
Hipsters,hipsters,hipsters!
Oh,yeah - and the Magic Buses!
Anon-
those that aren't selling on a regular basis have day jobs, are supported by their parents or a wealthy benefactor, or they do commercial work on the side.
Hipsters are transient fixated on food and little else.
They don't give two shits about their community and have no long term interests.
In other words, the politicians love them - one of the reasons food flea markets are the event of the season.
knowing the building and situation there, the owner is only trying to comply to code, and these evicted kids just break every rule when they get into a building
The landlord allowed people to move in, fine, I'm old enough to remember illegal parties in illegal lofts before soho and Tribeca existed. But then the idiots living there started having exhibits, crowds, and burning up utilities. They brought this on themselves.
An "artist" isnt only a fine arts painter. There are other kinds. Designers can make a good paycheck while fine artists have to catch a break. Also they can room with a friend. Its possible to live in ny as an artist. Health care, they might just not have it or have a part time on starbucks
Post a Comment