BY KEVIN DUGGAN
A group of 28 artists will be
kicked out of their Gowanus
studio when the non-profi t
Spaceworks shutters operations
in mid-June, forcing the
creatives to move their artworks
and belongings during
the novel coronavirus outbreak,
according to one local
painter.
“It’s unconscionable to ask
us to vacate our spaces while
dealing with this disease,” said
Danie Herard.
The once-charitable Spaceworks
offered affordable spaces
for artists at the sprawling 540
President St. building, as well
as buildings in Park Slope,
Williamsburg, and Manhattan
— but the organization
announced on March 31 that
they’d be closing their doors
this spring.
One artist who already
moved their belongings out of
the space subsequently contracted
COURIER L 4 IFE, APRIL 24-30, 2020
COVID-19, leaving
others fearful about entering
the building and the potential
moving process, according to
Johnny Thornton, the director
of Arts Gowanus, an arts nonprofi
t based in the Gowanus
space.
Spaceworks had initially
told artists to pack up their belongings
by May 25, but ultimately
extended the move-out
window to June 15 — nearly a
month after the end of Governor
Andrew Cuomo’s shelterin
place order — after mounting
pressure from tenants, said
Thornton.
“It is a tricky legal situation
for everyone involved, but
artists should not be asked to
risk their safety in the middle
of this world pandemic,” said
Thornton.
Spaceworks, which is the
management company for
the President Street building
that’s owned by local real estate
fi rm PDS Development
Corporation, assured tenants
that they would not dispose of
any personal property without
permission, and that they
would waiver rent for May and
return security deposits.
And beyond the safety hazards
of moving during a pandemic,
Thornton worries that
the loss of over two dozen artists
would be devastating to
the neighborhood that’s undergoing
rapid changes amid a
planned rezoning of the area.
“Gowanus has already been
hemorrhaging artists, losing
hundreds of artist spaces just
in the past three years due to
rental hikes and gentrifi cation,”
he said. “There is a real
risk the neighborhood will permanently
lose its unique character
and artistic DNA if this
trend continues.”
Painter Danie Herard is one of 28 artists that will have to fi nd a new
studio space. Arts Gowanus
The landlord cannot legally
evict the tenants, as Cuomo’s
90-day ban on evictions is in
effect until June 20 — even if
the non-profi t building management
company dissolves,
according to Prospect Heightsbased
tenant lawyer Edward
Deignan.
“Tenants are tenants of the
property owner, not the management
company,” said Deignan.
“The owner of the property
could say, ‘Just pay your
rent to me.’”
But even if they tried to fi ght
an offi cial eviction in court,
many artists are wary that the
landlord could simply lock the
doors and hold their artwork
and equipment hostage.
“We have keycard access, so
once we lose that, what happens
then?” Thornton said. “What
landlords do and what’s legal
are very different things, especially
when it comes to artists.”
PDS Development Corporation
did not return requests for
comment.
Cry your art out
Dozens of Gowanus artists to lose
studio space as non-profi t shutters
Saving a life is easy.
Slow down
in work zones.