ARTWORKS: Keep Art Real!

Declaring victory

2006-05-24T10:05:00.000-05:00

A wise man once said, "Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success," to which we might add, "Quit while you appear to be ahead."

ARTWORKS appears to be saved. HHG appears to be deflected towards other plans and projects. We will learn a little more - maybe - between now and July when HHG's option to pitch a final plan expires. One feels confident enough in the outcome to cease blogging regularly.

Tricia's press of spring projects and my vacation plans spell an end to regular posting here. If trouble returns, we'll be back. (Signs of trouble can be reported to keepartreal at yahoo dot com). Meanwhile, congratulations to a community of artists and teachers who came together to save something irreplaceable.

We urge the city to make permanent arrangements preserving ARTWORKS.

How to "rest easy" with no information

2006-05-22T07:12:00.000-05:00

Mayor Doug Palmer and Councilman John Ungrady have made statements on the record that the ARTWORKS crisis is over. We have no clear information on this and so a parsing we will go.

Looking back at the Leewood Village development proposal, we recall that it was allowed to fade away, after civic opposition, without an official death certificate being issued from City Hall. This sets a pattern for understanding HHG's plans for ARTWORKS. We should not expect any more information than we currently have - unless the local papers pursue this.

Through Ungrady we learned that the city believed the ARTWORKS property to be encumbered such that ARTWORKS could not be evicted in favor of HHG. The councilman told an audience that HHG's deal was dead.

We then heard from Mayor Palmer, in another offhand remark, that "I think Artworks can rest easy right now." This comment followed one that he was working with the developer.

It seems that a certain reading of the ARTWORKS sale provisions had been agreed on between the council and the mayor and that the reading was adverse to HHG's options. It would further seem that the mayor consoled HHG in their loss. That leaves us with the cryptic comment at the end of the phrase, "I think Artworks can rest easy right now."

Why right now? There are a few possibilities:

(1) The city attorneys are examining the strength of the original sale stipulations in case of court challenge. They may decide the stipulations pose no threat to the city's sale of the building.

(2) The mayor wants a developer other than HHG to have this property.

(3) The administration is preparing a take-it-or-leave-it alternate site offer for ARTWORKS.

(4) The phrase "right now" means "I am keeping my options open but have no plans."

(5) The phrase "right now" means nothing and is just verbal clutter.

I think we have a Leewood situation - a deal is dead, it will probably not be revived. I think HHG's interaction with the mayor had this same lack of finality - a door being left open, a possibility alive, some ambiguous talk.

The people who can end the suspense are the development partners. They can renounce the project, declare it a mistake, tell us they've moved on. It would be fine gesture, mending fences with an outraged arts community while letting the city off the hook.

Why not, gentlemen?

Frisco copies Savannah

2006-05-22T07:06:00.000-05:00

San Francisco is going down the path pioneered by SCAD in Savannah.

San Francisco State University is in negotiations to build a digital arts campus in the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, a project Mayor Gavin Newsom is hoping will become the heart of a sprawling film and new media business cluster in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods.

Under the scenario being discussed, the city would give the building to SFSU, which would then convert it into a state-of-the-art center for new media and digital cinema.

More details here.

White elephants coming to Texas

2006-05-22T07:02:00.000-05:00

San Antonio hired a consultant to tell it how to get an arts district together.

This genius suggests they build one from scratch: performing arts center, recital hall, theatre, and more. Consultants are amazing.

It was all a mistake?

2006-05-19T14:31:00.000-05:00

Some thoughts on Doug Palmer's "rest easy" next week. Enjoy your weekend...

Palmer to artists: REST EASY

2006-05-18T09:42:00.000-05:00

At a meeting discussing development in Trenton yesterday, Mayor Doug Palmer (right) spoke to the ARTWORKS eviction crisis:

Asked about the fate of Artworks, Palmer said the city is working with the developer and "I think Artworks can rest easy right now."

The comment came as a response to a question about the proposed HHG redevelopment of the art school site. No details were available.

Adding music to the arts district mix

2006-05-18T09:35:00.000-05:00

Neat story out of Schenectady, where arts district redevelopers are helping fund a music studio startup in a downtown store space:

The new studio will feature a large "live room," able to accommodate ensembles of any size, a separate control room, a vocal booth and a studio with state-of-the-art recording gear. Instruments, including drum kits, keyboards, guitars and amplifiers, will be available for performances by local musicians.

"A recording studio is an excellent fit with the 440 Arts Center, Jay Studios, Proctor's, our new downtown cinema and live performances at many downtown clubs," said Gary Hughes, chair of the County Legislature's Committee on Economic Development and Planning and member of the Schenectady County Community Business Center's board of directors.

When I lived on Second Street, rehearsal space was at a premium - some local bands used to rent cheap warehouse (storage) space at Hopewell Valley Industrial Park to practice.

Trenton take note.

(Top right, Schenectady downtown via the Preservation League of New York State)

Cincy knows work and teaching space = arts district backbone

2006-05-17T11:35:00.000-05:00

Interesting how Cincinnati's rundown urban suburbs are currently trying to develop arts district around the nucleus of teaching or studio space. (HHG please note: that's 180 degrees away from destroying such assets.)
Covington, KY: "The city and an architectural firm have won a $450,195 state grant for the Covington Artisans' Enterprise Center, which is to have up to 20 artist studios at 25 W. Seventh St."

Another report on the same topic here:

Unlike many places where artists rent, Fossett said Covington is offering incentives for artists and others to buy and rehab housing. Those include a $6,000 loan forgiven over a five-year period for the purchase and rehab of residential or mixed use, owner-occupied structures that comply with city codes."Paducah, Ky., had a crime-ridden, drug-infested neighborhood that artists came in and completely renovated," Fossett said.

Carmel, OH: The city's Redevelopment Commission has bought a building and is assembling more land to create a small district. Current plans in the first building call for ground floor galleries, a floor of studios and a small number of live-work spaces. The top floor will be be a magazine's offices.

Another report on the Carmel projects says former Lounge Lizards pianist Evan Lurie (shown top right) is partners in the redevelopment and will open a fine arts gallery in Carmel.

Lurie, who operates art galleries in California and Florida, said the Carmel gallery is planned to feature both established and emerging contemporary artists, specializing in European and Latin American works, such as Jorge Santos and Robert Peluce.

Save some wallspace for local artists, Evan.

Getting more out of ARTWORKS

2006-05-16T08:17:00.000-05:00

The comments section on the "Souvenir" posts points to my failure to explain something.

The New Variety programs of the late 1980s were not organized or blessed by ARTWORKS - we, the community, enjoyed the hospitality of ARTWORKS for an evening. These were not "successful programs" bureacratically developed for someone's edification. They were expressions of a "successful community" in a local space supplied by the city administered by ARTWORKS' board.

The same is true for shows like the more recent "We Are Toys" production that Tricia mentioned.

Much ARTWORKS criticism fails to see that this facility is a community resource. Need a class? Teach a class! Need music? Put on music! Need a dinner event venue? You get the idea.

I have had to laugh at some of the interaction between the city and the space. Very formal, very unreal: "Please put on more art programs for city children." Clue: These will come from groups organizing themselves using the ARTWORKS space, not from the board of directors. Groups will approach the board - the board may or may not approve - but this is basically people power.

The consumer society tries on people power: not a pretty sight. The plaint becomes, "Board of directors, what have you done for me lately?" "Give me more programs."

Do for yourself. That's the beauty of this special site.

(Top right, reprised photo of ARTWORKS via an Utrecht arts supply catalog)

City arts commissions

2006-05-15T10:29:00.000-05:00

I am intrigued by cities with arts commissions. Whatever their advantages or drawbacks, the fiasco of developers like HHG taking over a functioning art school to build housing would probably not have happened in a city with an arts commission.

Here is Aurora's commission mission statment:

The Public Art Commission oversees the public art program, including budgeting for the purchases, maintenance and insurance of public art and exhibitions owned or held by the city. The Public Art Commission also establishes guidelines for the selection of artists, artworks and sites for public art and establishes and maintains a program for providing art educational opportunities for all residents of the City of Aurora.

Souvenir

2006-05-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

Neighborhood people organizing a cabaret in the gallery at ARTWORKS: the Times was all over it.

Reviewer Davd M. Brown later moved out of Trenton but he still writes.

Of trolley barns and kings

2006-05-12T11:56:00.000-05:00

Fascinating to see in Richard Layman's blog what Washington DC did with its own "Trolley Barn" structure (shown right). It seems the District replaced that with these banal apartments (shown below, right).

Richard takes issue with a UVA professor who says: "Tying in aesthetics with urban planning is a recipe for disaster." I think it's a question of "whose aesthetics." Think of that in the years ahead as you watch Princeton whipsawed on Renzo Piano's urban design roller-coaster.

Richard cites Joe Riley, the only mayor in America with an art history PhD - and the man who delivered the eulogy at Mayor Art Holland's funeral. Let me suggest that Riley's approach - the preservation of historic structures - is actually a tactic to circumvent fights over"whose aesthetics." Not that that's a bad thing.

Trenton's failed Leewood adventure would have destroyed historic neighborhoods in order to build vaguely similar new brick homes. It generated a storm of opposition and the now famous comment of one councilman that "new bricks are better than old bricks." HHG now proposes to rebuild the inside (not the outside) of ARTWORKS, and the sting is less painful even though the chracter inside is what makes the building unique.

Have a look, have a ponder.

The "clash of lifestyles"

2006-05-11T12:47:00.000-05:00

Las Vegas is building high-rise condos in its arts district triggering "The clash of lifestyles" - as one might expect where a "high-rise building would replace four duplexes occupied by artists." You have to love this:

[Developer] Solomon is planning to build Villa Moderne, a four-story building that will have ground-floor galleries and living/work spaces for artists on the other three floors. But, he said, "I'm not going to give them away."

Villa Moderne. I suppose that's better than "Fox Croft Meadows at The Commons."

Solomon won't test applicants to ensure buyers are artists. Expect HHG style virtual artists. And, of course, what the city really wants is shoppers.

We need a term for highly compensated consumers who inhabit the burgeoning supply of nonproductive art space. If not "artists" maybe "artsies?"

In Vegas, as in Trenton, artists are being evicted to make space for artsies.

Developer humor (continued)

2006-05-10T14:03:00.000-05:00

This is an advertisement I snapped on the sidewalks of Reston yesterday. It is set up like a canvas on an easel. A tidy, ponytailed artist - not a daub on him - is celebrating his new loft by painting a demurely covered model.

This development has a few cheap spaces available in the low $500k range, but most of the high rise units will run to $1 million, with penthouses selling at over $2 million. There are going to be several buildings in this project and they look to be about 40 stories each.

The complex is set amidst a dense network of defense contractor office parks: SAIC, Northrup Grumman, and BAE are nearby, just to name a few. If you design missile guidance systems, you can walk to work. The fascinating thing about this is that the artist is such a universally attractive tenant that the developer is selling a preposterous artsy ambience to beltway bandits. HHG likewise has spurious references to artists and live/work space in their other projects - apart from the proposed ARTWORKS redevelopment.

In Reston, our developer's-concept-of-an-artist is painting away his $500k mortgage one nude at a time. Given the thousands of bare walls that will need covering in "Midtown," he just might be able to pay for his room and board.

Palmer wins without runoff

2006-05-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

The people have spoken. There will be no runoff:

Palmer got 6,345 votes, or 52.59 percent. Trailing were Freeholder Tony Mack, with 2,690 votes; Metropolitan Trenton African American Chamber of Commerce President John Harmon, 1,807; businessman Frank Weeden, 1,179; and retiree African Republican Party founder Wiley Fuller Jr., 40.

Council results have not been reported at this hour.

The election being over, everyone will want the administration to get back to their own pet issue. You know ours.

Election day thoughts

2006-05-09T16:05:00.000-05:00

Some "where we are" reflections for election day, assembled from my rag bag of clues and incomplete info. Conclusion first: I don't think the election affects the ARTWORKS redevelopment.

(1) HHG won conditional redevelopment rights over ARTWORKS. They won the right to submit a redevelopment plan to the City Council for approval by July.

(2) The Council is unlikely to look at it until new members are seated. Current feeling is already neutral to negative. As TAWA noted "several Council members have already expressed concern about this project." So I have heard elsewhere as well.

(3) Councilman John Ungrady has said publicly that the deal is dead because of stipulations on the City's title. Whether this line of thinking originated with the mayor's staff or not, whether it can stand a legal test or not, I tend to think that this is "the word" circulating among Council members. It represents a legalistic rationale for tabling redevelopment.

(4) There is no blood in the water to attract bigger, hungrier developers. Ungrady's rationale for tabling the ARTWORKS deal applies to all comers (except possibly another arts organization).

(5) The question is now is how HHG wraps up this adventure: true to themselves, as gentlemen, publicly declining to proceed further in this matter; or as another desperate small business, hoping to score a sale up to the very last "no."

The Hatch and Henderson I knew were gentlemen.

The business of "growth machines"

2006-05-08T21:18:00.000-05:00

Richard Layman noticed the common ground between our comments on HHG's election stakes this week and his own observations on DC's "Growth Machine" dynamic.

The "Growth Machine" explanation of city development is that of competition and cooperation among landed elites. Obviously, we have to expand that view as landowners alone are not the only players who can profit immensely from successful city (re)development. The outcome is the same, however: "Conditions of community life are largely a consequence of the social, economic, and political forces embodied in this growth machine."

In DC, Richard notes, the City Paper has run a piece on mall developer Herb Miller and his techniques, especially for flipping Marion Barry's (picture, top right) opposition to the District's baseball stadium - Miller is developing near the stadium. The paper said:

In March, Miller hosted a splendid soiree at his sprawling Georgetown mansion for Barry’s 70th birthday. The event doubled as a benefit for the Marion S. Barry Scholarship and Education Fund.

Talking about greasing the wheels. As early as 1982,

... other developers whined that Miller’s firm was not only a shrewd and daring outfit but also a company that worked a well-oiled political machine to win key development rights

The point at which HHG - or other local developers - become this slick is the point at which there can be no return to community control of the city environment. As Richard notes about Washington:

And if you don't understand the DC Growth Machine, prepare to be schooled in the coming election. The Growth Machine wants every seat on Council, every one... because nine seats out of thirteen aren't enough!

If only Trenton had a newspaper as frank as the City Paper.

HHG's election stakes

2006-05-08T11:56:00.000-05:00

It takes but a brief tour of HHG's website to understand how much the would-be redevelopers of ARTWORKS have riding on this election.

A glance tells us: "HHG, Roebling Redevelopment, and Crossroad Builders - are working together to restore or build 39 residences on the first two and a half blocks of Centre Street, the gateway to the Lamberton Historic District." There may be more in the works, of course. And that is simply HHG.

John Hatch, the first H, works for Clarke Caton Hintz architects out of the old West Trenton rail station. This small firm has been winning municipal contracts overwhelmingly: it's that part of the business that dominates their website. In Trenton, jobs have included the ballpark and the Roebling complex. A good friend to the Palmer Administration is worth money in the bank to this firm.

John Hatch is a community activist - good for him. But do his civic collaborators understand that he represents Mayor Palmer as much as himself in their councils?

Am I being unfair? I don't think so becasue in the upcoming election, HHG has much to lose and John Hatch most of all.

What's happening at ARTWORKS

2006-05-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

TAWA had a good rundown on the season schedule at ARTWORKS last month. Don't think the school has been mothballed by the threat of redevelopment...

Framingham and Trenton

2006-05-08T11:34:00.000-05:00

Sharon, over at Planning Liveable Communities, writes about a Trenton-like experience in Framingham on Wednesday night.

(1) Visited artist studios at an open house. (2) Listened to some Latin/Israeli jazz in another part of town. (3) Wishes Framingham were more walkable.

Does ARTWORKS still have open house? I attended one years ago and we had organized a show for that night in the gallery. Not Latin/Israeli jazz, but something equally interesting.

The artistically engaged folks in other towns know what to do with ARTWORKS type facilities - and condo creation it ain't.

From the boxtank blog

2006-05-05T13:33:00.000-05:00

Is the proposed three-phase redevelopment in and around ARTWORKS intended to be "An Affluent Lifestyle Center"?

High-end condos: the new answer to everything

2006-05-04T06:16:00.000-05:00

Miami has not yet finished its performing arts center and the condo developers are in a frenzy throwing up pricey residences throughout the marginal neighborhood:

"No fewer than 22 major residential and commercial projects are under construction, approved or proposed in the neighborhood surrounding the center's twin halls."

Insanity. The political donations must be gushing like geysers in that town.

The Miami Herald reports that the best kind of outcome to this madness might be the emergence of an artsy area with smart shops and restaurants scattered among the condos.

Remember the old saw about good being the enemy of best? Artsy is the enemy of artist always, whether on Mill Hill or in Miami.

Jane Jacobs

2006-05-03T07:52:00.000-05:00

The Wall Street Journal has been remembering Jane Jacobs:

Jacobs believed the most organic and healthy communities are diverse, messy and arise out of spontaneous order, not from a scheme that tries to dictate how people should live and how neighborhoods should look.

This has a lot to do with Trenton, with ARTWORKS and with the kind of New Urbanism that proposes you evict artists to build an artificial art-themed district.

"The main responsibility of city planning and design should be to develop--insofar as public policy and action can do so--cities that are congenial places for [a] great range of unofficial plans, ideas and opportunities to flourish," Jacobs wrote.

Putting your heel on the necks of Trenton's artists is not a recipe for congenial experiments. We don't need Jacobs to tell us that, but it's good to remind development-happy officials of a few simple truths.

The Ungrady conundrum

2006-05-02T11:34:00.000-05:00

The news still has me scratching my head.

Is South Ward Councilman John Ungrady dealing in supposition or facts? Because the newpapers did not bother to cover a meeting of Trenton Civic Associations we rely on the memory of an attendee:

"The ARTWORKS question came up, and incumbent John Ungrady stated that the deal is off, the city has determined that they don't officially have complete title to the building, or something to that effect."

Multiple hat tips to Marge for scooping the Trentonian, Times, and Downtowner.

But does Ungrady mean what he says? The core pretense of HHG's Trolley Barn proposal was that it was phase one in a multiphase development; of course, later phases covered land the city did not own. Is Ungrady mixing up phases? Or is he referring to the stipulation under which the ARTWORKS building was originally swapped for the parking space around it, saying that it constitutes a legal encumbrance?

Send your guesses to keepartreal at yahoo dot com.

Yet another arts imbroglio in Trenton

2006-05-01T16:01:00.000-05:00

In Trenton but not of Trenton: "State Museum fires executive". The governor wanted to name a new executive director at the State Museum. The board staged a dawn attack Saturday morning but the director in question was out of town at a convention. Her trenches were stormed anyway. She may sue.

Politics is more difficult than physics - Albert Einstein

Ungrady: City deal with HHG is dead

2006-04-30T18:03:00.000-05:00

South Ward Councilman John Ungrady, an ally of Mayor Palmer, announced at a public meeting Thursday that the City's deal with HHG to redevelop ARTWORKS is dead, Marge Miccio reports [emphasis added]:

Last night my husband, Bob Wagner went to the Trenton Council of Civic Associations' candidates night for the South Ward city council position. The ARTWORKS question came up, and incumbent John Ungrady stated that the deal is off, the city has determined that they don't officially have complete title to the building, or something to that effect. Candidate Jim Coston pointed out that if the research had been done by city hall before the deal was announced, a lot of time, effort, and unnecessary contention could have been avoided. And that a responsible city council would think about proposals before approving them. When will the city make an official announcement about this? After the election, perhaps?

Marge sent this to us Friday night. If Ungrady is right and the city lacks unencumbered title, this is extremely good news.

(Top right: Marge and Bob in 2002 via Trenton Downtowner)

Festival screenings

2006-04-30T15:44:00.000-05:00

The Trenton Film Festival is back with more movies than ever. None are being shown in ARTWORKS' gallery however. That would have been a nice gesture of support, wouldn't it?

When it comes to supporting ARTWORKS throughout this crisis a lot of arts organizations have been statesmanlike, scrupulously neutral, and fastidiously nonpartisan.

Arts survey underway

2006-04-30T14:26:00.000-05:00

Big article on the New Jersey Visual and Performing Arts Education Survey in the New York Times:

In the detailed survey, arts instructors and administrators are being asked such things as the number of students enrolled in classes like sculpture, photography, ballet or choir; what portion of the school's overall budget is allocated to the arts; the number of classrooms dedicated to the arts; incentives for teachers to pursue professional development; if the school has an artist-in-residence program, and how often students attend performances or exhibitions outside of school.

The survey will help arts donors decide where to spend their money.

Needless to say, we have some ideas.

(Thanks to Richard Layman for this link.)

What would Ernie say?

2006-04-27T19:54:00.000-05:00

Would Trenton's comic genius have had an opinion on the ARTWORKS debacle? Maybe.

There's a lot to be said in favor of converting art schools into housing. A recent study shows most people grew up in homes that were once art schools and attend schools that were once garages. They often attend church in what used to be stores and tend to dine in restaurants that were once fire stations. If they need an art school per se, well, there's always the county jail or the city dump. By the way, we call this the new urbanism. The old urbanism was much too constraining.

(If my pastiche falls flat, taste some Kovacs reality here.)

Anyone Else See This?

2006-04-27T17:34:00.000-05:00

Responding to Tom Kelly's reflections: one of the most engaging, fascinating concerts I've ever seen was the "We Are Toys" concert, sponsored by Trenton Avant Garde and held at ARTWORKS. It featured the not-quite-infamous Giants of Jazz -- as a quintet that night, I believe -- opening for Spin-17. It was a remarkable, musical, funny, and totally satisfying evening for the 40 or so of us that showed up.

P'town: don't let the architects overwhelm us

2006-04-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

Princeton Councilwoman Wendy Benchley attended a hearing about the university's plans last night and warned that

Princeton University's expansion should not be allowed to overwhelm the community

A school awash in money going on a building spree - never a pretty sight.

Does Benchley have any concept of the meaning of the words "Renzo Piano?" Hopefully yes.

If we may quote ourselves, "Good luck, Princeton, and stand by for an expensive, gratuitous spectacle... "

"Remind people"

2006-04-27T10:23:00.000-05:00

Thomas Kelly comments,

I remember seeing The Subdudes at Artworks and they were terrific. Maybe posting the many artists who exhibited or played there will remind people of the long history of the facility in a relatively short time.

Indeed. Send your memories to keepartreal at yahoo dot com.

Funeral for Issac Witkin

2006-04-26T16:10:00.000-05:00

Pemberton resident Isaac Witkin died on Monday and will be remembered at the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton at 2:00 pm on Sunday. The former student of Henry Moore features in a 1976 film and a book by Karen Wilkin. His stuff is at the Tate, too.

The New York Times had a glowing review of his work just this year: "Witkin may not be the best known of contemporary sculptors, but he is certainly one of the best."

His website is still up.

Displaced artist trading cards

2006-04-26T07:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks to an article in Billboard, Trenton's Trustkill record label is getting a lot of attention for issuing musician trading cards.

Trustkill founder Josh Grabelle says he has been surprised at the number of inquires about the cards the label has received ..."Within about a week of the Bleeding Through album coming out, we started receiving e-mails from kids offering $200 for a set," he says. "That‘s insane. If someone collects them all, I‘m sure it‘ll be on eBay."

Maybe we could issue a series of ARTWORKS trading cards featuring the work of displaced artists, teachers, and exhibitees past and present. It would be a huge set.

(Shown above: Mel Leipzig's "Girl in Yellow" trading card. Yours for $12,000.)

Trenton playwright has message for HHG

2006-04-25T17:10:00.000-05:00

What are the chances, what are the odds?

Michael Goldstein - the G in HHG (that very same HHG that seeks to evict an art school and redevelop its premises) is married to a principal in the Passage Theatre Company. That company is putting on a performance of Trenton playwright William Mastrosimone's "A Stone Carver," a play inspired by his family's eviction from Trenton premises under eminent domain. Mastrosimone (pictured right) told U.S. Route 1:

"The American Dream is that if you work hard, you can make a great life for yourself. What you have is yours. But it's not true. With eminent domain they can take anything."

These comments strike at the heart of HHG's plans for ARTWORKS:

Before it was about `We want to build a hospital; we want to do something for the public good.' Now they still call it the public good, but now they want to build condos. They want to increase the tax base. They're in cahoots with developers."

One could go even further: Trenton is considering whether to take a public art school and convert it to private property - to the enrichment of developers and under the banner of increasing the tax base. The article concludes:

For now, he would like to invite people who've lost their homes to eminent domain to come to see "A Stone Carver." "We'll see what happens. Maybe it will call some attention to the practice. This may develop into something."

Can the artists facing removal from Mill Hill come to the show? And will Michael Goldstein be there to greet them?

(Hat tip to Tricia for pointing me to this story.)

Gordian knots

2006-04-25T10:43:00.000-05:00

The Trolley Barn development proposal, which would convert ARTWORKS into condos, has a remarkable aspect to it. It alludes to a three-part development plan.

For the first part, affecting ARTWORKS, the city controls the underlying property. As to the other two parts, neither the city nor the developers own the property concerned.

A friend pointed out to me that this HHG plan for the creation of an arts district in Mill Hill will require the city's use of eminent domain. The exercise of eminent domain is an implicit assumption. The plan makes no sense otherwise.

If eminent domain is finally unleashed in Trenton at the behest of condo developers, the damaging legacy of this HHG adventure will far surpass the destruction of a single art school.

Saturday morning Drawing Basics Class

2006-04-24T21:15:00.000-05:00

McKithen Weighs in for ARTWORKS

2006-04-23T19:58:00.000-05:00

According to an April 12 article by Joe Dee in the Trenton Times, at least one Trenton political candidate has weighed in on the ARTWORKS situation. At the end of an hour debating topics ranging from reducing crime and property taxes to redevelopment initiatives and use of eminent domain by the city, incumbent North Ward city councilman [the Mill Hill area and ARTWORKS are in the city’s North Ward] Milford Bethea and his opponent, Dennis McKithen (who lost to Bethea in the 2002 election by a tiny margin) were asked about ARTWORKS.

Even before a question was asked directly related to the ARTWORKS situation, McKithen (replying to issues around building new parking garages in the area) said, "I am not a proponent of changing what Artworks does." (His staff contacted us and reported that he came out “very strongly” in favor of ARTWORKS staying as an art center. Bethea, who introduced the original resolution to give HHG six months to come up with a condo plan for the building, played it a little closer to the chest, reportedly saying only that "…the city did not give anything away. It gave a developer six months to develop a plan and present it to the city council."

Keep the magic of Artworks

2006-04-23T10:51:00.000-05:00

This letter to the editor appeared in The Trenton Times this Friday, April 21, 2006. Christina is a gifted 11-year-old who has been taking classes at ARTWORKS since MCCC began programming in 2004. She and her mother attended the Family Advocacy Day at ARTWORKS 2 weeks ago, and proudly wore their "Save ARTWORKS" T-shirts at Trenton's Earth Day event yesterday. NOTE: Lisa Kasabach informs us that this Earth Day event was actually organized by CitySmiles. Mayor Palmer attended.

To the Editor:

I have been attending the art classes at Artworks for more than two years. Artworks is very important to Trenton and should stay the way it is. There are plenty of condos in Trenton, and condos would destroy the unique look and magical feel of the place. Also, Trenton needs to have an art center.

CHRISTINA ZEPPENFELD
Trenton
the writer is 11 years old

College of New Jersey gets it, too!

2006-04-23T10:37:00.000-05:00

In spite of all the adversity, it seems that ARTWORKS continues to do what it set out to do: offer great art opportunities for Trenton and the greater Trenton community. The latest group to discover and embrace this invaluable city resource is the College of New Jersey's fine arts students. They're busy setting up the bulk of their multi-media B.F.A. thesis exhibition, Spaces, in the ARTWORKS Gallery this week. The 2-venue (part of the show will also be in TCNJ's Holman Hall gallery) exhibition opens this Friday, April 28, with a reception starting at 5:30 pm -- and a shuttle service bringing guests back and forth between the two galleries!

Advice from the Downtowner: prepare to move

2006-04-21T10:46:00.000-05:00

The Trenton Downtowner's Joe Emanski writes:

[ARTWORKS] Board chair Dru Damico says that 50 or 60 people have volunteered to help save Artworks. I’d recommend at least 10 of those volunteers concentrate on what they will do if the city pushes them out. Getting caught unprepared is why Artworks is in the situation it’s in now. It would be a shame if it happened again.

This misses the point of the crisis. When we consider ARTWORKS' board in this matter and its interaction with the mayor, we can mislead ourselves into thinking of ARTWORKS as a single (board-controlled) entity, rather than an ever-emerging coalition of disparate art teachers, program providers, and users of that space.

Of course the city wants keep things simple - it wants to talk to a board (any board) and pretend that such a board represents Trenton artists, the very people angered and hurt by this outrage. On the contrary, it is an open question as to whether this board can talk on behalf of the current programs offered through ARTWORKS. They are advocates for ARTWORKS, they have risen to the challenge this crisis poses but they are one small part of the picture.

Move ARTWORKS and you lose it. Move it and there will still be a board to talk to, but there will be no ARTWORKS. There may be volunteers, but the program providers are something elese again. There is no second chance in the cards. You destroy the art school or you save it where it is.

A statement from Tom Malloy

2006-04-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

Trenton painter Tom Malloy has a letter published in today's Times:

Artworks did not come into being overnight. It grew slowly from a need to recognize Trenton's contributions to history and art.

As a Trenton resident for most of my 93 years and an artist who supported and contributed to the early efforts to establish the Artworks arts center, I believe that its loss would be a mistake.

I encourage city administrators to talk to the people who know how long it takes to create such a center and to do everything possible to save it.

(Shown at right, "Prospect Street" by Tom Malloy.)

Consequences

2006-04-20T06:50:00.000-05:00

Not sure the proper way to present this news: it's gotten quite stale while I pondered the matter.

My co-blogger, Tricia Fagan, who managed ARTWORKS programs for MCCC, was relieved of those duties. She continues to manage the college's gallery. The proposed redevelopment of ARTWORKS has therefore had at least one evil consequence, even if no more comes of it.

(Posted without Tricia's foreknowledge or approval - DR)

A Pompidoozy coming to Ptown

2006-04-19T07:17:00.000-05:00

Princeton University, with some municipal support apparently, has decided to build out the area around McCarter Theatre as an arts neighborhood:

An expanded arts hub in that area could include new anchor venues for performance, exhibit and studio spaces, including perhaps a major new signature building for the arts, the officials have said.

They think they need this, don't know why exactly, are willing to spend a hundred million or two, and are not sure what the result will include. What does one call that kind of decisionmaking?

Princeton has hired the designer of Paris's Pompidou Center (top right), the firm of Renzo Piano, to design this "district" and create some sort of anchor building. Piano's work can be seen here. It is all in the vein of Pompidou Center. Good luck, Princeton, and stand by for an expensive, gratuitous spectacle that may not fit in with your neighborhood.

Maybe there's something in this for us, however.

Memo to the Piano crew: In Trenton, there is a very fine architect, a Princeton graduate (no less) by the name of John Hatch who could undoubtedly be of tremendous service on this neighborhood arts redevelopment project. Could you please make a place for him?

He might find the scale and budget so much more rewarding that trying to redevelop viable, functioning artist occupied spaces in Trenton ...

Four Views and no views

2006-04-18T15:41:00.000-05:00

The Contemporary Club is mounting its annual Trenton tour, "Four Views of Trenton" on the 29th and in one of the four tour parts,

"Trenton Artists Artisans & Art" will be led by Betty Holland-George, widow of Arthur Holland, longtime mayor of Trenton. Public art is the focus of the tour, which will include sculptures, monuments, fountains and hidden treasures in parks and on streets.

Let's hope some words about her husband's legacy - ARTWORKS - are on the agenda.

(Incidentally, John Hatch (of HHG) is guiding the mansions part of this tour.)

Antheil homage in D.C.

2006-04-18T14:07:00.000-05:00

The National Gallery's current Dada exhibition includes a huge treat for Trentonians: it has deployed the robotic instrument array that Second Streeter George Antheil envisioned as playing the movie soundtrack behind Leger's experimental silent classic:

Excerpts from the rarely performed music for the well-known Dada film, Le Ballet mécanique (1924) will be premiered in a fully mechanized format at the National Gallery of Art, March 12 through May 9 ... An orchestra of automated musical instruments, including 16 baby grand player pianos ... will be installed on the East Building mezzanine, programmed to play a portion of the original 27-minute score for the film Le Ballet mécanique. The installation will be activated for a ten-minute performance each weekday at 1:00 and 4:00 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 pm.

Co-blogger Terrie saw it yesterday and was overwhelmed.

... a fully mechanized performance is now possible with the help of robotically controlled instruments, designed and installed by Paul D. Lehrman of Tufts University and Eric Singer of the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (LEMUR).

Some days, far away from the city and its problems, it feels great to be a Trentonian.

How it's done in Paducah

2006-04-18T11:38:00.000-05:00

Richard Layman noticed that the York program to subsidize living space in an artists' district looks like a copy of a Paducah, KY, program: the Artist Relocation Program.

It's different from HHG's artist relocation program in Trenton in that the artists are not compelled to move out but are actually invited in.

Paducah’s Artist Relocation Program was started in August of 2000 and is now a national model for using the arts for economic development. The Artist Relocation Program has been awarded the Governors Award in the Arts, The Kentucky Chapter of the American Planning Association Distinguished Planning Award, [etc., etc. etc.].

Some good bragging rights there.

To date we have relocated forty-five artists who have taken us up on our financial and cultural incentives. These artists have relocated from Illinois, San Francisco, San Diego, Minneapolis, Memphis, Nashville, Okalahoma, Maryland, Washington, North Carolina, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Texas, Arizona, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Kentucky.

Forty-five artists represents a few city blocks. Get a look at these incentives:

100% financing for purchase and rehab of an existing structure or building of a new structure. Basic loan package is 7% - 30yr. fixed rate up 300% of appraised value.
Free lots for new construction as available.
City will pay up to $2500 for architectural services or other professional fees.

Makes you wonder about your own city.

Another artist/city dispute

2006-04-14T14:29:00.000-05:00

Trenton artist Al Wilking has gotten in trouble with the police.

About 15 years ago, Al was a painter by night and a realtor by day. He owned the Trent Towne agency and did me the favor of helping with a scheme to supplement ARTWORKS' workspaces. My idea was to sublease on month-to-month basis empty buildings in and around Mill Hill. It was an excellent adventure, more on which later, perhaps.

The realty gig led to landlording and as the owner of a Centre Street house, Al recently put a painted front door on the place. The city doesn't like it.

Police want an artist who owns a Centre Street building to remove the full-sized picture of a crowned monarch he painted on his front door because of a risk of gang activity. But the artist, Albert Wilking, says the painting is a work of art designed to "honor the community" and he has no plans to change or remove it. "If the community came out and was outraged, I might do something different, but I don't think that will happen."

Another weird, fascinating arts imbroglio from New Jersey's capital of arts imbroglios. Details here.

(Al's painting "Dear God" shown above right.)

York gets it

2006-04-14T13:53:00.000-05:00

York, PA, with high taxes and low incomes, is in decline.

The city, onetime home to Jeff Koons, has a plan, however, and the plan is not at all about driving out artists:

To improve the city's housing stock and economy, the city will launch an artist relocation program and arts district. This will provide low-interest, 100 percent financing over 30 years, plus other incentives, to attract artists to invest in city homes.

Give me that yardstick!

2006-04-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

The group "Develop - don't destroy Brooklyn" has a new press release out, the headline of which says:

"Atlantic Yards" Developer Receives Subsidy While Project Remains a Financial, Planning and Environmental Mystery

A certain Mr. Ratner went to his state capital and picked up a $100 million break to redevelop someone's neighborhood without so much as a friendly wave to the residents.

Develop Don't Destroy spokesman Daniel Goldstein said, "It appears that Albany has put a mystery development proposal and potential white elephant in the state budget. This giveaway has been made without any knowledge of the proposed development’s: cost-benefit analysis, scale, density, design, environmental impact, cost of mitigation, financial viability, and security measuresto name just a few of the unknowns about the development plan

It looks like we have a pragmatic yardstick here - one that should apply to HHG in Trenton as well as to Ratner in Brooklyn: mythical benefits, no details, a total gloss over analysis (financial, environmental, planning). Don't take my word for it, though, read HHG's proposal yourself.

Giveaways tend to be yardstick-free. Let's get some discipline into this process.

After the Trolley Barn

2006-04-13T12:33:00.000-05:00

Once you've evicted an art school to create ambience for fake artists / real commuters what is the next level of hyperreality available to a developer?

Well, there is one - South Korea is building a phony English language community from scratch (picture right). "Designed as an alternative to sending South Korean youth abroad to learn English..." it appears to be even more ghastly than Peking's "World."

We thought developers were having a laugh at our expense when they began erecting stick housing under labels like "the Ridings," and "the Commons." Actually, they lost it and they have been losing it on ever grander scales since then.

Psst ... hey you

2006-04-13T12:29:00.000-05:00

If one of Trenton's stealthy, top-secret candidates for office happens to mention ARTWORKS, much less take a stand on the crisis, please pass that along to keepartreal at yahoo dot com. (Thanks, but we won't hold our breath.)

Calling all grown-ups

2006-04-11T11:15:00.000-05:00

The Housing Bubble blog notices that Denver foreclosures are up sharply and that the lower end of the housing market is collapsing:

"Primarily, I see a huge glut of homes priced under $300,000," [Broker] Healey said. "Under $200,000, it is just a blood bath, a path of devastation. It is just ugly."

Trenton is not Denver but Denver is still part of a general trend.

We are destroying an art school so its redevelopers can suffer a financial bloodbath. Who is going to be the grown-up in this situation?

Souvenir

2006-04-10T20:59:00.000-05:00

A local show organized by local people in the local space - ARTWORKS. An artifact from 1990.

Toll Brothers - menacing The Project Room?

2006-04-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

Brooklyn's Project Room, on the Gowanus Canal (round structures, right) is one of those rare spaces that mix visual arts and music in a sigle venue on a a scheduled basis.

Their statement of purpose talks of art spaces as being meeting places and they take special interest in providing

an open and versatile environment where both established and emerging artists can conduct, exhibit and perform new and site-specific work according to their respective visions.

Enter the Toll Brothers, suddenly interested in suburbanizing New York City's ex-industrial fringes.

Wilbo Wright noticed in a New York Times Toll Brothers story that they plan to redevelop the Gowanus, and that their company spokesman is standing in front of the Project Room (see below). Casting a shadow on it, to say the least.

Is the Project Room marked for Tollification? We don't know yet and the news report does not say. Stay tuned.

(NYT photo by Andrea Mohin)

Fractal madness to replace human foibles?

2006-04-06T10:15:00.000-05:00

Geoff Manaugh has noticed that the same computers that generate fractal designs can generate fractal city designs (see right, click to enlarge).

All good fun until he says,

All of which leaves me to wonder if the Artificially Intelligent city of the future will constantly reprogram itself, forming new wards and clusters where there had only been streets before – only to back-track, erupting fungus-like in bursts of self-assembled geometry. Weird overlaps and elisions. Symmetrical superslums.

Let's hope not. It's already hard enough to squeeze a little humanity out of the city planning process.

International appeal

2006-04-05T23:11:00.000-05:00

The log files tell me that in the last 24 hours we have had visitors from Singapore, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, and Canada.

Color me delighted but mystified.

Trolley Barn = Mythical

2006-04-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

Trenton Downtowner is carrying a piece this month explaining that the idea that ARTWORKS was ever a trolley barn is fantasy.

The HHG redevelopment plan for ARTWORKS is called "The Trolley Barn." The author of this piece Glenn Modica refers to that designation as an "urban myth." This was a garage.

Off Everett Alley, the [Highway] Department erected a utilitarian, one-story brick building with stepped parapet. The original garage bay and most of the windows and doors have been removed and filled in. But the unassuming exterior belies the unexpected splendor of the interior.

Glenn, a member of the Trenton Historical Society, has an odd sense of humor:

Perhaps it is not too late to propose an alternate idea for the building, one that promotes arts and culture and creates a use that stays true to the building’s mythical history: it’s the perfect space for a trolley museum.

Might I suggest the Roebling Complex for any trolley museums? Or perhaps Disneyland?

Artists take over: mayor concerned

2006-04-05T12:46:00.000-05:00

The artists are taking over Arnaudville, Louisiana, and the mayor is angry.

Artists are buying gas stations, water towers, warehouses, you name it; converting industrial space into teaching space and galleries. News flash:

Without the support of the mayor, Arnaudville could lose its second major resident artist and appear unwelcoming to other artists looking to move in.

Sounds vaguely familiar.

Artist Henderson admits that the political tension is draining.

That part too. Except for "artist Henderson."

See for yourself.

A suggestion for the Palmer Administration

2006-04-04T10:43:00.000-05:00

Artspace is a non-profit that consults on best use of artspaces and arts redevelopment. It's doing major consulting in Scranton and Philly just now. Why not call them in for a cheap or free two-day consulting session on the future of the ARTWORKS building? Get their advice.

You'll meet Chris Velasco (right) who does these sessions routinely.

These days Velasco and his C&NP colleagues, Teri Deaver and Peter Sieve, field dozens of inquiries every month from communities seeking help with their cultural development agendas. “...when we believe that we might be of service to a community, we go there. We spend two days meeting with artists, with civic and business and financial leaders, with as many stakeholders as possible. And in that intensive series of meetings we can give them a lot of feedback about whether their project should go forward.”

Where's the risk? Get more input - if that's what you need to resolve this crisis.

"The artist's version of Survivor"

2006-04-03T15:29:00.000-05:00

Picture an ARTWORKS type of space in Fort Worth ("Artspace 111," shown at right). "It's an old, anonymous 2-story red brick building. There are no windows on the ground floor, and the gray door is nondescript," says the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram.

You wish the Times or the Trentonian had the panache of this newspaper: " ... it is on the upper east side of downtown Fort Worth, an area that developers are eyeing like a pack of jackals." Developers as circling jackals? Well, well.

I lived in a county last year (Frederick, Maryland) where candidates for office returned money from developers, lest the public associate them with developer interests. One county official refuses interviews with newspapers that take ad money from developers. It's another world out here, my friends. But back to Fort Worth.

One of the first thing you do with a story like ARTWORKS' is interview the artists about their space. The Ft. Worth reporter gets this:

"You'd think that after being down there a year and a half, I'd be taking it for granted," says Hartley, one of the newest tenants. "But I'm always thinking, 'look at the space I have. It's incredible.' "

ARTWORKS is certainly that too.

One more thing Fort Worth's paper has over Trentons' news outlets is a guaranteed happy ending. The owner of Artspace 111 says, "We're the artist's version of Survivor."

And being owners, artists will decide the issue of survival without "help" from the mayor or local development interests.

Ibsen at ARTWORKS

2006-03-31T17:44:00.000-05:00

From the national Journal of The Ibsen Society of America:

"ISA Founder Rolf Fjelde was honored at Mercer County Community College (at ARTWORKS), in Trenton, N.J. on February 18 - 19, 2005, when painter and ISA member Mel Leipzig exhibited three paintings of Rolf and his family on the occasion of two dramatic readings by the MCCC Theater Department, dedicated to Rolf: act five of Peer Gynt and act three of A Doll House. Christel Fjelde, Rolf's widow, his sons Eric and Chris, and his daughter Michelle and her daughter Thea were present..."

Trenton's Cultural Arts Center bringing the world to the city...

Developer humor

2006-03-31T09:38:00.000-05:00

From the developer's dictionary:

Facade - Personal front that wears thin quickly in real estate transactions.

From the bestiary:

Developers are a lot like the rhinoceros:
* Their behavior is aggressive and often unpredictable, and their charge is often preceded by a lot of snorting and kicking up of dust.
* They have incredibly thick hide.
* They have no sweat glands and need to take a lot of mud baths to stay cool.
* All members of the species have an excellent sense of smell; their nostril cavities actually exceed their brain in size.
* Their eyesight is quite poor and experts say they are incapable of seeing what lies directly ahead
* A group of rhinos is not known as a herd but as a "crash."

"Coincidence" picture above right from Chicago Yellow Pages.

Here and there

2006-03-28T13:29:00.000-05:00

Conway, SC, has found a way to distinguish itself from the surrounding beach towns: become artist-friendly.

"I think every community needs a seat of culture. The powers-that-be in the town of Conway have seen that that is a way for Conway to differentiate itself from the beach," said Nelljean Rice, director of the First Year Experience at Coastal Carolina University and a resident of downtown Conway.

Meanwhile, on the edge of Cedar Falls, Iowa, a school has been sold for $1 to be converted into a Multicultural Center. The bootstrap developers suggest, ""We want to have a center where both youth and seniors can come together."

Hmm what kind of place might that be? Not a Trolley Barn, I don't think.

If the shoe fits

2006-03-28T13:23:00.000-05:00

In a new post, South African Robert Neuwirth notes,

Redevelopment is one of those great real estate code words. It means eviction and replacement with high priced housing.

Memo to HHG

2006-03-27T13:35:00.000-05:00

Forget about your "Trolley Barn." Grab a vacant building and build this in Trenton.

Souvenir

2006-03-26T21:02:00.000-05:00

Johnny Reinhard came down from New York for this one, bringing tuba, bassoon, conch, violin, and synthesizers to play microtonal music at ARTWORKS.

Another show organized by neighborhood people for the neighborhood: a souvenir from 1991.

Boston and its artists

2006-03-24T13:46:00.000-05:00

Consider some remarkable words coming from Boston's Mayor Tom Menino [my emphasis]:

In the recent past, parts of the city that artists have used for twenty years or more have begun to attract commercial and residential development. While generally positive, this trend has resulted in rising real estate prices that jeopardize the ability of artists to remain in the very neighborhoods they helped revitalize.

There you have the ARTWORKS predicament in an nutshell: artists sapce is now too lucrative to leave in the hands of artists. Look at how he defines a particular problem:

A closer look at this threat has revealed that, while Boston is home to more than 2,000 artist studios, fewer than 300 of these studios are permanently dedicated to artist use.

The solution is implied: art spaces permanently designated. That works for me.

There is more to the solution and it should make the head of any Trenton artist spin:

At my direction, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) is working with other city agencies including the Office of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Neighborhood Development to retain existing spaces for artists and create new ones.

Imagine Mayor Doug Palmer issuing a statement like that. It makes you giddy, but at the moment we have something like the opposite policy.

How can city agencies work together to help artists? I think the most help comes from appropriate (flexible or special) zoning and clear inspection guidelines that do not cause artists' spaces to fail inspection because they are artists' spaces.

Some examples from Boston - things the mayor wants to do right now:

* "[C]reate spaces that are permanently dedicated to artists through deed restrictions or similar legal mechanisms." (The HHG plan for condos in ARTWORKS lacks such deed restrictions.)

* "[C]ontribute to the creation of rental and/or home-ownership spaces at a variety of prices..."

Boston has already put in place:

ZONING. According to the Boston Zoning Code, artists are the only occupational group allowed to live in industrially zoned spaces.

CERTIFICATION. The BRA operates quarterly reviews of artists’ credentials by a panel of peers in order to certify that only artists occupy spaces that are developed to specifically meet their needs.

DESIGN GUIDELINES. The BRA has issued design guidelines to articulate specific requirements that artists need including minimum square feet for live/work units, specifications related to ventilation and sound proofing, loading and elevator access.

That's awfully impressive but this is the icing on the cake: "The [Boston Redevelopment Authority] works with artists, community development corporations, nonprofit arts groups, commercial developers, foundations and public agencies to foster the creation of space for artists."

The creation of space for artists - Trenton was there in 1988; Boston has surpassed us. Let's not backslide.

(Menino pictured top, right. More on Boston's artist policies here.)

Prophecy

2006-03-24T13:36:00.000-05:00

This is the letter Mayor Holland issued on the opening of ARTWORKS (click to enlarge). He foresees "a program reminiscent of the Trenton School of Industrial Arts and Trenton Junior College days".

Tricia tells me that these two institutions, Trenton School of Industrial Arts and Trenton Junior College, folded into Mercer County Community College.

When MCCC became involved in ARTWORKS, it made a prophet out of Art Holland, I think.

(Thanks to Andrea Schwartz for this image.)

Lessons for Trenton: Boston surveys its artists

2006-03-23T16:24:00.000-05:00

The City of Boston surveyed its artists a few years ago and has been using the results ever since: "The BRA [Boston Redevelopment Authority] has commissioned a study to assess what kind of space artists need for their work and what they can afford to pay. Artspace Projects Inc., a non-profit group with expertise in developing space for artists, designed the survey tool."

The results were published in 2003: "Keeping Boston's Creative Capital: A Survey of Artist Space Needs." It was based on over 2,000 responses to 9,000+ questionnares. Some highlights:

Finding: "Fifty-eight percent of respondents indicate an interest in projects dedicated to providing work-only space for artists. Sixty-two percent of respondents indicate an interest in projects dedicated to combined artist living and work spaces."

Comment: The gap between the appeal of work-only versus live-work was a mere four percent. This suggests to me that there is not enough value differential to justify replacing work-only space with live-work space .

Finding: "Seventy-five percent of the artists rate natural light as important in the design of work spaces. Among other design features sought by these artists are high ceilings, special ventilation, additional storage and soundproofing."

Comment: We are describing a special kind of building here; ARTWORKS embodies this specialness. Just any building won't do.

Finding: "Artists are willing to consider a wide range of scenarios with respect to ownership or rental of their new space. Of the 1,196 Boston area artists who express an interest in relocating to a live/work artist building in Boston:

• 70% are interested in owning work-only space, 64% are interested in renting;
• 79% are interested in owning live/work space, 61% are interested in renting."

Comment: The winning mix for downtown and Mill Hill is to have both types of arrangements available. Both arrangements arouse strong interest. This contrasts with the finding that "renting with an option to buy; owning shares in a cooperative; or owning or renting co-housing with shared amenities," were less interesting to Boston artists.

Full report here.

Tomorrow: special city zoning for artists in Boston. Shown top, right: Jeff Hayes' studio in SoWa, Boston

Benefits from unexpected places

2006-03-22T12:14:00.000-05:00

The Center for Arts Policy at Columbia College, Chicago, did an interesting study called "Informal Arts: Finding Cohesion, Capacity and Other Cultural Benefits in Unexpected Places."

It's a wonderful document - even the executive summary is exhilirating. If you classify ARTWORKS as an informal venue, as I do, the findings fairly leap out at you:

... informal arts activities are largely hidden from public view.

Comment: Which can lead to bad decisions, I think.

People who participate in the informal arts come from all walks of life, reflecting a diversity of demographic characteristics such as occupation, age, race/ethnicity, and gender.

Comment: No one can be surprised by that.

The inclusive character of informal arts practice and the socially accessible localities where it occurs induce trust and solidarity among participants, and promote greater understanding and respect for diversity.

Comment: Remove these venues and the city loses a social dividend.

Informal arts practice provides important sites for adult personal expression and creativity. In the process, it helps to build individual and community assets, by fostering social inclinations and skills critical to civic renewal.

Comment: we all know a certain city that needs civic renewal.

The recommendations of the study speak to us in this eviction crisis. For the city:

* Integrate arts practice in community development
* Remove barriers to informal participation and enhance access

For those of us opposing HHG:

* Build arts advocacy coalitions across informal - formal divides
* Make the informal arts more visible.

Read the whole study here.

(Another tip of the trilby to Richard Layman for pointing us to this study.)

A message from the late Mayor Art Holland

2006-03-22T11:54:00.000-05:00

From the ARTWORKS files: Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Opening of ARTWORKS in 1988 included (L-R) then-Board Chair Susan Hockaday, Executive Director Mary Yess, Secretary of State Jane Burgio, Assemblyman Gerry Naples, Trenton Council President Carmen Armenti, Princeton Mayor Barbara Boggs Sigmund, Trenton Mayor Art Holland, state Senator Gerry Stockman, NJ Treasurer Feather O'Connor and others. Good times, good times..

Andrea Schwartz was good enough to pass on to us a souvenit from 1988: the proclamation issued by Mayor Arthur Holland noting the opening of ARTWORKS on September 16.

I can't post photos or images today (such as that one), but would like to share this text from Holland's letter:

... the School will provide us with the opportunity to hold art classes for young people, a program reminiscent of the Trenton School of Industrial Arts and Trenton Junior College days.

Notice that he places ARTWORKS in a continuum of Trenton arts and Trenton history.

He could see the connection at the outset; we still can't see it after two decades.

Layman notices "More Arts Displacement"

2006-03-21T12:34:00.000-05:00

Surveying the ARTWORKS crisis, Richard Layman noticed regionally "More Arts Displacement".

* The Washington Sculpture Center has to make way for a baseball stadium and - surprise - "the relatively indifferent efforts to retain these programs elsewhere in the city" are failing.

* Philadelphia's Gilbert building is being taken over to expand the convention center.

* The Washington Glass School has not only been evicted, it has already abandoned its web sites.

Planners and officials should note that organizations using art spaces are fragile - even robust, well-funded organizations would have difficulty relocating, much less relocating to inappropriate space.

Can we have a policy, please? And not a policy made by developers, if you don't mind.

State and county, hello hello

2006-03-21T12:01:00.001-05:00

It's remarkable how quiet art organizations are at the state and county level; the longer this ARTWORKS eviction crisis persists, the odder the silence becomes.

Or perhaps not. When some friends joined me in reviving the Trenton Avant Garde Festival in 1990-1991, my first stop was the state's arts program offices downtown. A polite fellow, very busy, said there was no way the state could help a local event. No way at all. Try the county, he said.

At the county, an arts boss I'll call "Linda" (her real name) said there was simply no way the county would fund a city festival. I tried to portray this as a regional arts event, it was certainly a regional attraction for visual artists displaying work - but the effort was hopeless. We love our jurisdictions, dearly we do.

Has ARTWORKS received support from state and county organizations? Either official or volunteer groups? It's not surprising to get emails from various Trentonians telling me that ARTWORKS has been neglected by state and county from its inception down until this crisis.

How awful, if true. I have good news, though: moral support costs nothing. You can give that freely.

(p.s. Speaking of great divides, DC art blogger Adrian Parsons notices the unbridgeable gulf between museums and galleries. "Prove me wrong!" he says. For those of you who can't get enough "art scene balkanization" stories...)

(Update, 3/22: Tricia tells me that Mercer County has been supporting ARTWORKS financially for the last few years at least. They should be taking a stand on the venue they have helped keep in business.)

Tricia is putting it together

2006-03-21T12:01:00.000-05:00

Co-blogger Tricia Fagan has been collecting impressions and details from the recent exchange between City Council members and ARTWORKS supporters and will post a more balanced view of events than I surmised from the recent Times article. "Stay tuned."

Study calls for support of community venues

2006-03-20T12:44:00.000-05:00

The Urban Institute has published some interesting study results under the title, "Participation in Arts and Culture: The Importance of Community Venues."

The study focuses on accessing art in “traditional venues” (museums, concert halls, theatres, galleries) versus community venues (churches, events, local spaces). Some of the findings bear on Trenton’s ARTWORKS crisis:

"... about one-fourth of the people who participate in arts and culture do so only in community venues."

Exclusively in community venues. Wow.

"Those who attended only in community venues (26 percent) were far more numerous than the respondents who said they attended arts and cultural events only in conventional arts venues (1 percent)."

The community venue is the key to the entire arts equation.

"Taken together, these findings suggest that arts and cultural organizations might reach more participants if they also present their work outside conventional arts venues..."

And this next item should be of particular concern to local officials:

"The people who attend the largest number of arts and cultural events held in community venues also participate in a range of civic activities. They are members of volunteer associations, they donate money to charitable causes, and they vote."

The capstone finding:

"Investments by public agencies and private foundations in arts and cultural activities at community venues can strengthen both the community institutions that host the events and the arts and cultural organizations that produce them."

That is, if one were interested in such strengthening.

(Hat tip to Richard Layman)

A souvenir from the ribbon cutting

2006-03-20T12:34:00.000-05:00

(Hat tip to Andrea Schwartz for sharing this relic.)

Dream, Africa Exhibition

2006-03-17T16:02:00.000-05:00

Mill Hill resident Peter Crandall (right, talking with photographer Diane Levell) was one of many Trentonians who enjoyed the spectacular Dream, Africa exhibit at ARTWORKS this past Fall. In addition to Levell, the show featured sculpture by Trenton artist JC Sarpong and Monroe Township painter (and ARTWORKS student!) Nancie Gunkelman.

posted by Tricia

Good news and bad news from City Council

2006-03-17T14:43:00.000-05:00

The Times carried a report of last night's City Council hearing and it seems a mix of good news and bad news.

No council member was quoted as opposing the eviction of ARTWORKS, nor of opposing HHG. John Ungrady from the South Ward thought redevelopment was probably contrary to an earlier deal with the previous owner of ARTWORKS - and that's as much heat as HHG seemed to receive.

On the other hand, support for HHG's takeover seemed to be conditional, based on a fantasy that ARTWORKS could take over any empty building offered by the city. If that notion can be defeated, support for the eviction of ARTWORKS may weaken.

My fear is that this is not a mistaken belief but an alibi. This "give them a new building" talk might be a a fig leaf to dress the consciences of those who smell a done deal and want to stay out of the way.

(Potscript, 3/20: Tricia, who was at the meeting, tells me that council members were friendly and supportive and that the Times story conveyed a pessimism that may not be justified.)

More Than a Visual Arts Center

2006-03-17T13:30:00.000-05:00

To the Editor:

Since 1987, Artworks has touched the lives of many Trentonians. Most recently it has evolved into an inspiring location for Mercer County Community College's visual arts course offerings in downtown Trenton. TAWA, the Trenton Artists' Workshop Association, calls Artworks home. This facility has hosted music events, film events and a regular weekend program of artwork for parents and children.

It has been a place for both the individual creation of art, and through classes and gallery shows, a place of shared experiences. These shared experiences create and nurture community, every bit as significantly as cheering on our hometown sports teams.

Now we are told that unless Artworks can stimulate the 24 hour a day, 7 day a week bustle and nightlife that developers say we all crave, its time has passed. More than a visual arts center, more than any shared community experience, we are told that Trenton needs condos, in an “arts-themed” development project.

We've got plenty of empty buildings for additional housing developments. New apartments are being created nearby in the long vacant Broad Street Bank Building. Why must we sacrifice the community cultural asset that is Artworks? It should be the place where we meet our newest neighbors.

Anne LaBate
Trenton, NJ

This letter from Trenton resident and ARTWORKS board member LaBate appeared in the March 15, 2006 Letters to the Editor of the Trenton Times.

posted by Tricia

Newark and Trenton

2006-03-16T18:26:00.000-05:00

A reader points us to a New York Times article published yesterday, "Arts Center Has a Plan to Help Newark Revive."

On Wednesday, Lawrence P. Goldman, the president and chief executive of the [Newark performing] arts center, announced a plan to expand both the scope and presence of the complex, in the hopes that it will transform that part of Newark into a haven for artists and art lovers.
The center is seeking developers interested in becoming a partner in the construction of 250 units of mostly market-rate housing and street-level retail space on a plot of land it owns across the street from the red-brick-and-glass building that houses its concert hall and theater and restaurant complexes.

Newark builds housing around arts centers. Trenton converts art centers into housing.

ARTWORKS Really WORKS!

2006-03-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

Artworks provides a cultural resource to the Trenton community; attracts visitors and participants from the Greater Trenton area; provides opportunities for local artists; attracts established artists to the city; helps keep a city-owned property operational and viable; and demonstrates a positive partnership among the City of Trenton, Mercer County Community College, Trenton and Mercer County community members and scores of artists.For those proposing housing for Artworks to forget that the above list is a good thing for a city with an image problem; that the city maintains a variety of buildings not performing at 100 percent viability (e.g. the Mill Hill Playhouse); that the city financially supports projects designed to attract out-of-community people (e.g. the Marriott Hotel); and that there are other buildings to develop, suggests that it may be a good time to start recalling how Artworks got started: Trenton residents caring and volunteering to bring artists and the community together.As a founder of TAWA (Trenton Artists Workshop Association), the principal catalyst for the creation of the Passage Theatre, a coordinator for the original Eyes on Trenton, and a quiet contributor to many city arts projects, I hope that all involved with the current plan will recall the original spirit and follow it.

DANIEL AUBREY
Hamilton

This letter appeared in the Letters to the Editor section of the Trenton Times on Saturday, March 11, 2006.

Image is from the February 16, 2006, "Save ARTWORKS" community meeting.

posted by Tricia

ARTWORKS - City Hall - Tonight

2006-03-16T08:55:00.000-05:00

There is a Trenton City Council Meeting tonight, Thursday, March 16th, at 5:30 PM.

If you are an ARTWORKS supporter, please go to this meeting and speak out against the conversion of this community art facility into luxury private housing.

(I'll resume posting on this blog after 6:00 p.m. tonight. If you want to share impressions of the meeting, email them to us at keepartreal at blogspot dot com.)

Reminiscing

2006-03-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

A show from 1990, put on by neighborhood people in the neighborhood art school. And what a show it was, worth a book.

(Trenton's Thousand Points of Darkness, for one, put on a one act play in which all dialog was replaced by instrument playing.)

Remarkable evening, perfect space.

A lesson from Philadelphia

2006-03-14T10:17:00.000-05:00

The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work (the Social Impact of the Arts Project) sponsored an interesting study in Philadelphia published in 2003: "Dimensions of Regional Arts and Cultural Participation:Individual and Neighborhood Effects on Participation in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area."

One finding indicated that "neighborhoods with many community arts and cultural programs--as well as many social organizations generally-- are also likely to have high rates of regional cultural participation." I think we can agree that people attending cultural events is a good thing.

Another finding suggests that "the number of social organizations,including arts and cultural organizations--is as important as socio-economic status in predicting the level of participation among residents."

Let's put that another way: the presence of arts organizations in the community levels out participation differences by socio-economic status. What a good thing. What a thing to destroy with condo complexes.

(Hat tip to Richard Layman for this lead.)

The Trolley Barn proposal

2006-03-13T12:14:00.000-05:00

The Trenton Lofts site has a link to the HHG proposal to redevelop ARTWORKS.

It's a brief two-pager filled with brass:

To ensure continuance of Mercer County Community College 'Artwork' art courses currently taught in the trolley barn in downtown Trenton, HHG has reached out to the College to identify alternative sites nearer their main downtown campus which will better meet their needs and plans for expansion.

The developers helpfully offered a list of empty building in North Trenton as compensation for throwing MCCC out of their specially designed art school premises - sorry, trolley barn - on Mill Hill. The developers presume also to speak of MCCC's "needs and plans."

To support the continuance of several community arts initiatives, notably the CitySmiles family- oriented programs, and to allow for the development of additional youth-oriented arts education programming, one of the lofts will be fitted out as a combination exhibit/educational space to be owned and operated by the city.

The head of CitySmiles is not on board with this plan. Why picture her as supporting the redevelopment of the space? And how can one space 1/10th the size of the current floorplan offset the loss of six or seven classrooms each of which is much larger than the space offered?

HHG Development Associates proposes to convert a 19th Century Trenton Trolley barn, currently the Artworks building, into artist space as the first phase of a project to transform surface parking lots and adjacent vacant space into a vibrant arts scene including residential lofts, galleries and small user arts-themed commercial space.

You cannot convert to artist's space what is already artist's space. And it is in no way artist space if anyone is free to buy one of these condos.

This plan projects over $8,000 per year per unit to be paid in city taxes. Artists willing to shoulder a $700/month tax bill in addition to a large mortgage: where are they? Are we thinking Thomas Kincaid here?

Furthermore, and this cannot be emphasized enough, there can be no talk of phases when the parking lot surrounding ARTWORKS is in private hands. When the owner opposes conversion of ARTWORKS, as this one does, HHG's phases have to start somewhere else.

Phase II, currently in the early concept stages, proposes new construction of 36 additional lofts, some live/work, overlooking Mill Hill Park and 21,000 sf of gallery and small user arts-oriented commercial space fronting Stockton Street.

HHG has the phases out of order. Build that other stuff first, guys, then apply to ARTWORKS, MCCC, the community, artists, and the city to convert the art school; make the best case you can in their interest, not in terms of your profits, and let them decide the future of this facility.

Hint: have large amounts of money ready to offer ARTWORKS for the conversion of any new space - the profits from what you now called your "Phase II" plan will do nicely.

It is remarkable that serious businessmen could draw up a two-page sketch in secret, laden it with assumptions and presumptions, pitch it to the city surreptitiously, and have that pitch succeed up to the point it was made public.

The idea of then making the plan public to win converts to this idea strikes me as unduly optimistic. To begin with, you need a much better plan.

See for yourselves.

Googling HHG

2006-03-12T15:18:00.000-05:00

Mssrs. Henderson, Hatch, and Goldstein are getting good ratings on Google, it appears.

The string "goldstein trenton artworks," for instance, yields the recent Downtowner article in first place and postings on this blog in second and third places. The same is true for "hatch trenton artworks."

"Henderson trenton artworks," yields the Downtowner article in first and second positions and this blog in third and fourth.

We are doing less well with individual names. For instance in the string "michael goldstein trenton," our blog is popping up way down in the sixth and seventh postitions.

Precipitating an artist eviction crisis may not be an optimal memorial for HHG's partners, or for anyone. Mindful of the relative permanence of Google searchability, we'll try to keep the tone respectful here as our blog entries begin to fill out ever more name searches.

New study: Cities should subsidize art spaces

2006-03-10T00:39:00.000-05:00

The University of Minnesota's Arts Economy Initiative has just released a new report called "Artist's Centers: Evolution and Impact on Careers, Neighborhoods and Economics."

Key findings (emphasis added):

Public and nonprofit policymakers responsible for economic development, urban planning, and cultural policy should acknowledge and support artist's service centers as good investments and as candidates for brick and mortar subsidies, operating funds, and technical assistance.

Exactly what Trenton is now doing - something HHG would like stopped.

State and local governments should use the many tools at their disposal to help create appropriate spaces for artists and embed such centers in their neighborhoods.

Embed rather than evict.

Flagship arts institutions should honor centers’ incubating role for regional artists and consider them partners rather than competitors for public and patron dollars.

MCCC is leading the way here. The idea that partnership spells bailout or failure is spurious - partnership is the outcome art spaces should strive for.

Private sector businesses should approach and work with artists’ centers as suppliers of creative ideas, design, and skills that will help make them more productive...

We again appeal to HHG: help make ARTWORKS more productive, don't work to destroy it.

(Hat tip with flourishes to DC's Richard Layman for pointing us to this study. Read the file yourself. It's 9 MB, so download first, then read.)

A message from ARTWORKS' Board

2006-03-09T20:05:00.000-05:00

The ARTWORKS board sent out an email yesterday that said, in part:

Yes to public Artworks! No to private condos...

Artworks Community Meeting Follow-Up Next Step: Speak Up at Trenton City Council Meeting on Thursday, March 16th, 5:30 PM

It was heartening for all of us to see the turnout and the passion exhibited at the Artworks Community meeting.

It is clear that we need to move forward on two tracks. First is a "Public Awareness" campaign to preserve this facility as an Art School, Gallery and an asset of Trenton's visual arts community. This campaign must must encompass varied strategies that will encourage the City of Trenton to continue its support and provide a further commitment to Artworks.

An important next step is to make ourselves heard by the members of Trenton City Council. Their next meeting is Thursday, March 16 at 5:30 PM. We ask ARTWORKS supporters to attend and speak during the public session of the meeting. Please plan to attend and spread the word.

(Posted by Tricia via Dimitri)

Ring a ding, it's the Trolley Barn!

2006-03-09T19:31:00.000-05:00

Good heavens, follow a few links on the Trenton Downtowner's web page and before long you find out that HHG have christened their ARTWORKS redevelopment baby "The Trolley Barn." (Not that the name hasn't already been taken , but then again in this case the space has already been taken, so why quibble over niceties.)

The Trolley Barn, ring a bell. Get the evicted artists to paint a smiling Thomas cartoon on their way out and you've got a friendly, welcoming place that says, "Hey there, come inside and spend a few hundred thousand."

But wait a minute, what about these artists who are supposed to buy condos in the building? Wouldn't they be more attracted to a project called "The Old Art School"? Too painful, eh. Well, even "The Old Sears Warehouse" might intrigue people wanting live-work space.

But the "Trolley Barn" - that sounds like home to a bunch of .... commuters.

Subliminal marketing, one supposes.

(Above right, typical scene outside of a Trolley Barn.)

Mayoral candidate John Harmon says...

2006-03-09T12:13:00.000-05:00

Emphasis added:

We see proposed brick and mortar development but no one talks about how that is going to benefit the stakeholders in this community or how its going to benefit those who have endured the hard time in this community. So if there is no direct benefit, then why are you doing anything?

(Via the Dowtowner)

ARTWORKS crisis - part of a pattern

2006-03-08T15:47:00.000-05:00

This just in from Wilbo Wright (shown right):

This Artworks debacle should come as no surprise to anyone living in Trenton. The Palmer administration has been chipping away at arts education for years now.

One recent example: just a few years back theTrenton School Board (appointed by the Mayor) discontinued the instrumental music program in the Trenton middle schools, thus eliminating the feeder system for Trenton Central High School's various music programs.

Ted Plunkettt (TCHS) held an excellent consciousness raising concert at Trenton Central to underline the severity of this mistake. The performers were the last group of kids who would come out of the middle school program. From that point onward, the high school ensembles would be assembled out of a student body who, in many cases,would have had no prior musical experience on their instruments.

Trenton assuredly has musical -- as well as artistic -- prodigies amongst its youth. It's a shame that many of them may never discover their gift due to an administration to whom "Art" may be nothing morethan the first name of the previous mayor.

(Posted via Dimitri)

2006-03-07T19:38:00.000-05:00

Ever experience skiffle funk, pop stylings on cello, conceptual sketch comedy?

In Trenton?

Yes, at ARTWORKS, of course, and all on one bill.

A statement from David Z. Orban

2006-03-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

Dave Orban weighs in on the ARTWORKS crisis:

As taxpayer in Trenton, a former Artworks trustee, and a long-time supporter of Doug Palmer, I'm apalled that the untiring efforts of so many folks over the last 15 or so years are about to be discarded, just so a couple of developers can make a quick buck and the city can delude itself into thinking that the incremental tax revenues will somehow compensate for a lack of real vision.

Artworks is just one of many projects that have drawn on the love, energy, and commitment of so many volunteers, and have contributed greatly toward making the city viable as a destination.

Housing ain't the issue, folks... quality of life is. Without a decent quality of life... well, you get the picture.

Regards,
Dave Orban

(Painting (right) shows Orban's painting Work Party; posted by Dimitri)

Show me the vision

2006-03-05T22:35:00.000-05:00

We see that David "Henderson says opponents of the HHG plan are not seeing Artworks as a piece of a multiphase plan ..."

We see that the owner of the parking lot surrounding ARTWORKS "hopes to eventually build a parking garage with other uses incorporated into it on the land in front of Artworks," without the involvement of HHG.

We see a "multiphase plan" with just one phase: the destruction of ARTWORKS.

We see.

Jim Doria reports...

2006-03-04T10:06:00.000-05:00

Jim Doria of the ARTWORKS Committee of the Old Mill Hill Society writes:

Well, Dimitri, the reason I said there wasn't much to report is because I'm reporting on the actions of the comittee which is still getting started, although we are making progress.Although I started the blog, it's really going to serve as the committee's blog. So future postings will be approved by everybody on the committee before they go up, which does slow things down a bit.
BTW - the meeting you mention was the regularly-scheduled monthly meeting of the OMHS. All committees report to the board (and the membership) at these meetings. Your post makes it sound more like a private meeting between our committee and the board, which it wasn't.
Community reaction is well-known by us folks in Mill Hill. It is a constant topic of conversation both in person and on our mailing list. And you'd better believe it's on our list of things to gather more info about.

Read the entire comment here.

ARTWORKS transferred to new developer

2006-03-03T19:02:00.000-05:00

A reader sent in the following wire story from Trenton News Service and we pass it on without further comment – DR

City to transfer HHG redevelopment rights to F&S LLC

TRENTON, March 3 – Trenton’s redevelopment plans for ARTWORKS took a new turn today when developers F&S LLC were awarded rights to the space previously granted to HHG LLC.

Mayor Doug Palmer, announcing the switch, said "We were very impressed with the tax revenue projections presented by F&S. They showed us how much income the city would be losing under the HHG plan for ARTWORKS."

F&S, which stands for "Food and Shelter," describes itself as "the developer with a vision for sustaining community." Spokesman Arthur Swag (photo, right) says, "In partnership with Common Knowledge Consulting, we conducted a city survey of Trenton and found an alarming number of buildings not being used to sell food or provide shelter. When we brought this to the Administration’s attention they were shocked; but to their credit they moved quickly to remedy the situation."

F&S discovered one such wasted asset - ARTWORKS - was being assigned to developers HHG and took a hard look at the numbers.

"We found some remarkable problems in their plan," Swag said. "For instance, they were projecting 10 residencies with 1.5 baths each. By dividing the space into 25 condos, each with four master bathrooms, F&S will be able to leverage the city’s current ratables structure to maximize residential property values."

"We estimate, the city will earn $168,000 per month over and above what HHG proposed once our plans are implemented. And we do believe people will be willing to live in condos that are 100% bathrooms if an arts ambience can be sustained"

Asked about that ambience, Swag noted that, "In partnership with Common Knowledge, we have developed a three-question self-graded artist's test. Anyone applying for residence who can pass this test will be issued a Developer's Certification of Artistic Merit, which will be transferable to any other arts housing project F&S builds. Our buildings will be certifiable as artist occupied. Thus, there will be no change in use - just in the number of bathrooms."

Asked about the sudden reassignment of its development rights to ARTWORKS, HHG spokesman Michael Goldstein said, "We deserved to lose the deal. We didn't have enough vision - our plan was not going to maximize revenue for the city. HHG is all about maximizing city revenues and we failed to do that in this project."

Meanwhile, results from a new Common Knowledge public opinion poll show Trentonians overwhelmingly favor a change in ARTWORKS' mission. The poll, commissioned by F&S, asked, "If every Trenton resident completed his or her art education tomorrow, would it be okay for ARTWORKS instructors to teach art to birds and squirrels in public parks at no expense whatever to the city?"

The results, a surprisingly strong "Don't know," came in at 50.1 percent and, Swagg says, point to a whole new mandate for the Mill Hill art school - one that does not require buildings of any kind.

Goldstein said HHG may propose a new plan to the city for the ARTWORKS building if a way can be found to increase tax revenues over and above the new F&S plan. "If we can add another $168,000 to the city's tax rolls somehow, I think it's worth trying to find it," he said.

Downtowner reports on crisis

2006-03-02T16:21:00.000-05:00

The Trenton Downtowner has published a story on the ARTWORKS crisis. Author/editor Joe Emanski (right) is more focused on "He reacts, she reacts" than "Let us find out how this deal could be arranged in secret." Too bad, but some good reporting nonetheless.

I'll post more on this article soon and your comments are welcome too. For now, enjoy the slapstick:

Henderson says opponents of the HHG plan are not seeing Artworks as a piece of a multiphase plan to incorporate the site into the bigger picture of downtown redevelopment.

Funny thing about that: they're seeing it as the neighborhood art school. How parochial.

“I think the vision of Artworks is a great vision and has been achieved,” Henderson said.

Well done, class. Give yourselves a gold star and let us know if you need help moving your things out of the building.

HHG estimates set the city’s investment in the building at $168,000 per year, meaning the city is subsidizing the county at a rate of $416 per student (450 students per year), Goldstein said.

The best statistics are the ones you make up yourself.

“Why are we squandering $168,000 of Trenton taxpayers’ money for programs that really should be paid for by the county?” he [Goldstein] asked.

Having dreamed up some numbers, he is now outraged by the numbers he dreamed up.

This will be a huge relief to you Michael: taxpayers are not paying for the programs, they are paying for water and electricity. If the city has an issue with that, let them talk to ARTWORKS; meanwhile taxpayers should take advantage of the programs provided to them by MCCC at ARTWORKS.

So can you please call off this insane fire drill now?

We're number one...

2006-03-02T16:07:00.000-05:00

If you search for trenton artworks on the Microsoft search engine, this blog is tops in the ranking as of this writing.

If you search that combination on Google, we're number eight.

On the AOL search engine, we're number seven.

If you search for trenton artworks tawa on Yahoo, Richard Layman's post on us is number four.

Gaining ground. In a week or two we'll search for the names of Henderson, Hatch, and Goldstein in connection with Trenton.

Toward a Goldstein/Weeden dialog

2006-03-01T14:15:00.000-05:00

Mayoral candidate Frank Weeden was at Michael Goldstein's house the night of the ARTWORKS meeting. I would have loved to hear the dialog on Goldstein's intention to convert ARTWORKS.

Although Frank has not taken an explicit position on the HHG proposal, here are some of his previous comments that could have sent Michael climbing the walls had they been voiced:

Those of us who are using up all of our time doing things like fighting harmful development projects could be working on ideas that actually move us forward.Got it?

I'm dumbfounded by his [Palmer's] continuing preference for new development that squanders our resources and fails to breathe new life into our city. [Link]

... "preservation" indeed does mean "preserving what is there," not the opposite. Saying, "recreating what is there" doesn't make any sense, since it's already there.

Our leaders and planners are missing the mark if they think some weird, new suburban island at the periphery will transform public perception of the city and cause a miraculous influx of pioneering individuals. [Link]

I consider the Artworks building to be an investment by the Trenton community, and that the community as a whole should determine its future. [Link]