Eviction Battles Imperil a Queens Art Haven
Submitted by Steve on June 8, 2014
From Colin Moynihan, at The New York Times:
Battles between artists and landlords are nearly as plentiful in New York City as galleries themselves. But a recent spate of attempted evictions and other conflicts in a three-story brick building in Ridgewood, Queens, is buffeting a young outpost of the art world just as the area is earning a reputation for affordable studio space and vibrant openings.
Artists who moved into the former factory at 17-17 Troutman Street in recent years found spacious studios with high ceilings, dramatic views of the Manhattan skyline and rents as low as $1.30 a square foot. Dozens of painters and sculptors helped each other renovate spaces there, shared thoughts about their work and the art market and began organizing shows, with some of the studios doubling as exhibition spaces.