Here is another relevant piece from the past the Free Press wasn't interested in. In 2004 Creativity Consultant, Richard Florida came to Detroit for a Regional Transformation Process that was to kick off the Create Detroit "Movement" (that never really took off).
At one point during the RTP the question was asked: "What would be the best way to attract & retain talent?" I put forth the concept that Detroit should become the Art-Space Capital, which was voted as the top idea by the participants.
Recently, Time Inc. purchased a house for the year long, Assignment Detroit Project, and have three bloggers on The Detroit Blog, one is from outside the area and two are local freelance writers, one who lived & worked in other cities prior to coming back to the D (where he was born), the other Karen Dybis, is a native of Michigan and has worked in the Metro area, in recent years at the Detroit News. Karen had a recent post with the link to a Forbes story and follow-up comments. In the Forbes piece, About That Detroit Renaissance, author Shikha Dalmia is skeptical about the recent buzz in the national media on the efforts of artists in reviving the city.
"Having lived in or near Detroit for almost 21 years, I am used to the buzz that erupts periodically about its renaissance being nigh. But the one that is currently making the rounds is truly fantastical. No one really knows what it will take to contain Detroit's deepening malaise--much less make it livable. But one thing is certain: It isn't starry-eyed artists who have decided to adopt it as their cause du jour."
While the Creative Community alone can't have a major impact, the message I continue to tout is: if properly nurtured & supported, Artists & Musicians and Creative Venues can make a substantial contribution to turning the D around. A recent website was launched Great Ideas for Michigan, and I submitted this idea.
Save Old Buildings & Enhance Detroit’s Image
Embrace and Expand Artspace Concept
2003
Detroit seems to have a similar problem as the Old Woman in the Shoe, only we have so many old buildings; we don’t know what to do. How about filling them with artists and watching the city bloom.
Artspace is a nonprofit real estate developer based in Minneapolis. Its mission is “to create and manage space where artists can live, work, exhibit, perform, and conduct business. Artspace supports the continued professional growth of artists and enhances the cultural and economic vitality of the surrounding community.”
Initially the group served as an advocate for artists displaced by gentrification at the end of the 70’s. In the mid 80’s Artspace became a development group with its first project being a six story, 149,000 sq ft warehouse built around the turn of the 20th century and located in St. Paul.
Dubbed the Northern Warehouse Artists Cooperative, it features 52 affordable live/work units and two floors of arts friendly nonprofit and commercial tenants and was developed at a cost of $5 million. At the time of its debut in 1990 scarcely a 100 persons lived in the area and a litter filled lot was in the vicinity. Today more than 5,000 residents have fostered a bustling downtown and the vacant lot is now a park enjoyed by families.
In 1993 another warehouse (1895) next door to the Northern that was in an extremely deteriorated condition, was taken on by Artspace. Among the strikes against even attempting renovation of the Tilsner included no windows, no roof, and the top two floors were rotted to the point they were unsafe to walk on and was described as “a big pigeon barn.” Yet the building even at such a state of decay was salvaged into a home for 66 artists and their families who have helped to create the community, the cost $6.5 million.
Artspace has five other projects in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area as well as one in Duluth and has since become a developer nationally as well. Projects in other cities include Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; Reno, Nevada; and Galveston Texas. Projects in development include Mount Rainier, Maryland; Houston, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and Jackson Michigan.
The Armory Arts Project is a partnership between the Enterprise Group of Jackson, the Weatherwax Foundation and Artspace. The first phase is the renovation of the 147,000 sq ft Acme Industries property into 35 residential/work units and space for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations; communityclassroom/demonstration/exhibition/performance space; and rental space for arts-related and commercial businesses.
Future plans include renovation of the 1839 prison and a River Arts Walk to connect it to downtown is in the works. Among the potential funding sources are Historic Tax Preservation Tax Credits, Michigan Low Income Housing Investment Tax Credits, Brownfield Development Tax Credits, and “Gap” financing resources from foundations, corporations and individuals.
The governor, mayor and others have spoken of the need to “brand” Detroit. Only the city has many different facets that several “brands” can be applied. If the city wants to get serious about enhancing its image, increasing tourism as well as attracting and retaining residents, then it should consider aiming to become the “Artspace Capital.” Restoring our “dinosaur” buildings and welcoming artists and art groups is just what we need to save historic structures that give downtown character and will enhance our tourism and residential appeal.
And just think if the Artspace concept were to be expanded to include buildings for teams of high-tech start-ups. What a tremendous selling point it would be to offer below market rate for space to high-tech entrepreneurs and team members where they could work long hours with the comforts of home at hand and not having to commute. Throw in some venture capitol and Detroit would truly become a talent magnet.
The history of an area of one Artspace project parallels Detroit’s Cass Corridor. The Lyn-Lake business district (named for the cross streets Lyndale Ave & Lake St.) lies in the South Minneapolis and was once a bustling center of commerce. The area began to decline in the 50’s and by the 80’s was considered seedy and plagued by crime.
In the 90’s artists and art groups created a stir of development and in 1996, Artspace purchased the Calhoun, a six story building that was originally an athletic club built in 1913. Putting just over $1 million in improvements, 36 spaces for office, studio, rehearsal, and performance arts organizations were created. The area has become an arts and entertainment destination offering theaters, restaurants, galleries, coffeehouses and retail shopping.
Another tale of the power of arts and revitalizing an old mill town, comes from North Adams, Massachusetts. The Arnold Print Works textile mill built in the 19th century managed to stay open until 1942. It was taken over by Sprauge Electrical Company which prospered into the 60’s. Cheaper imports brought an end to the company and after changing hands, closed in 1985. By the end of the 80’s the town was a shell of its former self. One asset North Adams had going for it was that it is in close proximity to a number of arts attractions in near by towns and is not far from Williams College.
The head of Williams College of Art went in search of space to exhibit large scale modern art and was shown the mill which has 780,000 sq ft. It took from 1986 to 1995 to raise funds and get funding from the state to finally get the project rolling. In the meantime the plan for the building to serve just as a museum was altered to include space for music, dance, film, animation, computer art, theater, and performance art.
Since it opened in 1999 the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art currently draws 120,000 visitors a year. Six restaurants opened (one didn’t last) and 200 hotel rooms were created or reopened. Over a year ago an independent developer bought another vacant mill building in town with the intent to renovate it into 40 condominiums for artists to live and work. He figured it might take up to two years to sell all the units but within two months they were all sold.
With so many examples of the power of art and the effects artists have in creating community and fostering revitalization, and so many buildings that deserve saving, what’s a poor city to do?
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