Durst daughter, Anita, seeking landlords with a big art; launches program to locate free performance spaces in New York City.Citing a critical shortage of affordable performance space for grass roots grass roots pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) 1. People or society at a local level rather than at the center of major political activity. Often used with the. 2. The groundwork or source of something. arts organizations in the city, the daughter of New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of developer, Douglas Durst durst v. Archaic A past tense and a past participle of dare. , has founded a new non-profit organization A non-profit organization (abbreviated "NPO", also "non-profit" or "not-for-profit") is a legally constituted organization whose primary objective is to support or to actively engage in activities of public or private interest without any commercial or monetary profit purposes. , Accessing Real Estate for the Arts (AREA), to find free temporary venues for artists. "The arts are suffering terribly in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. because of a lack of affordable space," says Anita Durst, artistic director of Chashama, her theater company. "AREA will change that by negotiating with key Manhattan landlords to make such space available. We will rehabilitate re·ha·bil·i·tate v. 1. To restore to good health or useful life, as through therapy and education. 2. To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity. art and commerce through short-term occupancies, while at the same time inviting the neighborhood to join us in supporting art and culture by brightening empty corners." Ironically, Durst's own father recently asked her to vacate To annul, set aside, or render void; to surrender possession or occupancy. The term vacate has two common usages in the law. With respect to real property, to vacate the premises means to give up possession of the property and leave the area totally devoid of contents. Chashama's space at 135 West 42nd Street, in vacant retail stores which she utilized since 1997, to make way for his planned 2.1-million s/f office tower, which The Durst Organization will co-develop with Bank of America
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648 ) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. Corporation. However, recognizing Chashama's need to relocate its office and performance space, Mr. Durst has donated two venues to the theater company, one at 201 East 42nd Street and another at 217 East 42nd Street. Mr. Durst's contribution of unoccupied space, which will be used by a variety of artists to create avante-garde theater performances, prompted his daughter to establish AREA. In a typical transaction, Ms. Durst says, AREA secures a location, and Chashama acquires the temporary rights to the space, assesses the needs of the art market and the space's physical potential, and then reconditions the space for performance, rehearsal, gallery or studio use. By "adopting" vacant commercial properties in prime New York City locations, Chashama quickly replaces bare space with a canvas of vibrant art. Using an early termination option, Chashama's tenancy is of no risk to the landlord and so encourages space donation as a temporary solution to vacancy, stresses Ms. Durst. The reduced cost of AREA properties allows Chashama to continue offering free and subsidized sub·si·dize tr.v. sub·si·dized, sub·si·diz·ing, sub·si·diz·es 1. To assist or support with a subsidy. 2. To secure the assistance of by granting a subsidy. space. These premium locations, which simultaneously bring artistic vitality to a neighborhood, would normally be prohibitively expensive and competitive. "In addition to the economic retention and growth associated with the uses of public performance venues," says Ms. Durst, "AREA benefits neighborhood residents by providing free and low-cost performance and art exhibitions, free rehearsal space, and a place for local artists to exhibit their work. "The infusion of theatre and cultural activity is a proven neighborhood economic stimulus and occupancy incentive. "Two excellent New York examples are DUMBO and the Lower East Side. In both cases the presence of an artist community movement helped the areas and their property values to flourish, and brought people back to the neighborhoods." Already developers are stepping up to the plate, says Ms. Durst. Bruce Ratner Bruce Ratner (born January 23, 1945 in Cleveland, Ohio) is president and CEO of Forest City Ratner, the New York division of Forest City Enterprises, which is based in Cleveland. Ratner was New York City's most active real estate developer during the 1990s. , president and chief executive officer of Forest City Ratner, has donated a 30,000 s/f at 234 West 42nd Street. Ms. Durst has also had discussions with other major owners and brokerage companies in the city. "This is a great opportunity for the real estate and arts communities to work together and to make a difference in the lives of performers and their audiences," says Ms. Durst. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion