Posted by Times-Herald Newspapers on 1/14/12 • Categorized as Stories

Artspace to begin search for building to house artists

By DANIEL HERATY
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN - Artists looking for a place to live and practice their craft may soon have a home in Dearborn.

During an East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority Meeting Jan. 12, board members approved a contract with Artspace Projects Inc. to convert a suitable building into a live-work space for artists in an effort to bring more tourism and exposure to the city.

The to-be-selected building will be the first Artspace location in Michigan. Artspace, a Minneapolis-based non-profit organization created to help artists find viable locations to live and work, has previously established artist communities in Seattle, Pittsburgh and Chicago.

“We think that having a community of artists in Dearborn would be complimentary to the community,” Artspace Senior Vice President of Consulting Wendy Holmes said.

The agreement continues a six-step process that began nearly two years ago and could take an additional three to five years to complete.

The first two steps, determining the preliminary feasibility of an area and an artist market survey, were finished in January 2010.

The next step is predevelopment, which involves working with the EDDDA and and their partners to determine a feasible location and project scope, which could take four to nine months at a cost of $150,000.

Artspace is to scout possible locations in the city in late January and early February.

Mayor John O’Reilly Jr., who sits on the EDDDA board, said he had interest in an arts community in Dearborn since the 1980s.

He began looking at ways to increase visitor traffic to the city since becoming mayor in 2006. A viable artist community in Dearborn, he said, could help drive tourism to The Henry Ford, which sees about 1.8 million in-state visitors.

He said many visitors to the museum or the village don’t stay in the city after leaving, and he would like to keep them shopping and spending here.

“If we had 10 percent of (the visitors) coming into the Artspace exhibit,” he said, “that would be a huge increase in potential customer base.”

O’Reilly said the city will benefit from the potential artist community.

“Dearborn’s future can’t just be tied to what it’s been in the past,” he said. “We have to evolve.”

EDDDA Executive Director Michael Bewick said $300,000 of the total estimated $750,000 cost of the contract secured by the EDDDA’s partner in the project, the Dearborn Community Fund, was provided by two $150,000 grants from the Ford Foundation and The Kresge Foundation.

Organizers have been applying for other grants to cover the remaining costs, Bewick said. An application for a grant from ArtPlace, a collaboration between federal agencies and the National Endowment for the Arts, has been applied for, however, the EDDDA was not selected to move forward in the grant process.

EDDDA Chairman John Morgan Jr. said on Dec. 20, members of Artspace looked at some of the proposed sites, which require various amenities such as high ceilings and natural light, depending on the artists’ needs.

Morgan said he is looking forward to seeing Artspace develop in the city and said the incoming artists will be viable members of the community. He said after moving into an area, artists tend to draw more people in who are interested in artistic culture.

“There’s a synergy when they move into a community,” he said. “A lot of times when they come in to a district, they start to revitalize it.”

Morgan said work on securing the remaining funding will take time because of the nation’s difficult financial situation. He said the key is making sure the proposed concept is unique enough to be funded.

“There’s so many more people going after the same amount of dollars,” he said, “And there’s only so many dollars to have.”

(Daniel Heraty can be reached at dheraty@bewickpublications.com)

Click here to read the story online.

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The results of the Survey of Artists’ Space Needs and Preferences and the Survey of Arts Organizations and Interested Businesses indicate demand for arts and cultural spaces in  Dearborn!  Spaces of all types are needed, including:

• Residences for artists and their families, specially designed to provide both live and work space;
• Studio and work spaces for artists to rent on an ongoing or occasional basis;
• Permanent spaces for arts and cultural organizations and arts-friendly businesses;
• Performance/production, exhibit, conference, and educational spaces for organizations to rent on a short-term or occasional basis.

Artists:

Overall it is exciting that there is a lot of diversity in the types of creative activities these interested artists are involved. The strong interest in a business center may indicate that many of these artists are actively pursuing their craft as a serious profession or small business. The need for gallery and retail space demonstrates that artists are looking for ways to market and sell their work. Often it is challenging for emerging artists to find outlets to showcase their work.

We always hope to see an ethnically diverse artist pool, as this leads to a diverse community in the completed project. Overall, we are pleased with the diversity of the responding, interested artists. One of the exciting things about artist live/work projects is that every one is different. They are shaped by the unique qualities of the neighborhoods and cities in which they exist.

Arts Organizations:

Representatives of organizations or businesses completed the Survey of Arts Organizations and Interested Businesses, indicating an “interest in utilizing some type of space in a new multi-use arts facility in Dearborn.” This creates a great opportunity for a vibrant facility that could catalyze further economic development in the area, and spark new partnerships and programs for the benefit of the local community. It is exciting to see the terrific mix between for and nonprofit entities as well as between arts related organizations/businesses and arts/cultural organizations.

There is clearly an opportunity to support emerging organizations and micro-businesses with this project. Being a part of a multi-use facility may provide the leg-up these smaller enterprises need. Having affordable space, shared services and programs, and greater visibility will help to increase their chances of success. A number of organizations stated needs for specialized artist workspaces, gallery space, rehearsal space, and individual artist studio space.

The generalized data provided in the report is sufficient to lend credibility to the potential for a mixed-use arts project, serving arts/cultural organizations and businesses. There are clearly many vibrant emerging and established enterprises with specialized space needs, which if met, will help them fulfill their missions and business intents.

So what’s next? We’ll be working with the City and other stakeholders to establish a preliminary project scope and a space development program for evaluating building and site capacity. Candidate building/sites will be analyzed with respect to cost, availability, and other factors impacting their ability to address development program goals. Existing information will be reviewed about potential site(s) to identify key legal, environmental, physical, and financial issues affecting their suitability. We’ll also negotiate with property owners with the goal of obtaining a site control agreement and work toward a purchase agreement or other means of site control.

It’s been a busy spring and summer again in East Downtown Dearborn. We have new businesses opening, people investing in their properties and new opportunities to show off the best of the district! 

There are many new businesses calling East Downtown home this year, from a wide array of industries. Dearborn Fresh Supermarket, housed in the former Kroger building at 13661 Colson, offers more than groceries but also a bakery, the Oasis Cafe for meals on the spot, a flower shop, and a pharmacy.

Several new restaurants are now serving up in the neighborhood. 360 Lounge, located at 13901 Michigan Ave, is an eclectic lounge serving up hookahs, tasty smoothies, a mix of Mediterranean and American foods and free Wi-Fi all set in a cozy, gorgeous atmosphere. Palace Café, located at 14430 Michigan Avenue, is a beautifully appointed Middle-Eastern restaurant that also offers stunning live entertainment. And last but not least, La Shish located at 12918 Michigan Avenue, has reopened with new owners, however the concept, food, and feel are still the same!

Of course our most noticeable new neighbor is the Dearborn Town Center at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Schaefer. It houses Oakwood-Midwest Medical Center, which offers 24/7 urgent care, as well as comprehensive, high-quality medical care to meet the wellness, prevention and treatment needs of the Dearborn community and southeast Michigan. Also located there is King’s Pharmacy, the Dearborn Star Grille and Kresge Eye Institute.

East Downtown has seen a handful of successful events lately. The annual Memorial Day Parade brought thousands to see the spectacle, each one a potential customer for local businesses. Our third summer of free Jazz On The Ave concerts in beautiful Dearborn City Hall park drew record crowds and plenty media attention. We held our second annual Taste of Dearborn East in September and tripled attendance of participants who relished the unique and cultural flavors East Dearborn has to offer. Local establishments like Green Brain Comics and the Arab American National Museum regularly host onsite events, keeping the neighborhood flush with activities.

The EDDDA is happy to help district businesses market and promote their own special events, sales, grand openings and such. Get involved! We’re always open to hearing what you would like to see to improve the district for everyone. Contact our office at 313-943-3141 to learn more.

FREE TO ATTEND!!!

Join us and casually network with district merchants and residents, business partners, stakeholders and City of Dearborn officials.

It’s a great opportunity to connect with the EDDDA and learn what we do and what we can do to help support and promote our businesses and the East Dearborn downtown area.

As always, guests will enjoy tasting ‘the world in a mile’ with fabulous food from several of the diverse restaurants in the neighborhood. Beverages will also be served.

No reservations necessary, and all are welcome to attend! We look forward to seeing you there!

Download and print our Holiday flyer here!!! Go ahead and print it out too!!!

They join a resourceful and engaged Board that oversees the makeup of the EDDDA and how it works, enhancing the physical aspects of downtown, optimizing the business mix and getting out East Downtown’s message and enriching our image.

Case in point: Under The Radar (UTR), a program that explores the best of Michigan and airs on PBS outlets all across Michigan, in Northern Ohio and Eastern Wisconsin and …2.5 Million homes in Canada.  Think modern, hip, high tech, fast paced, travel channel… concentrating on only Michigan.

Each week UTR host Tom Daldin explores everything from Michigan restaurants and museums, to cool businesses and neighborhoods. The object is to discover the people, places and things that are unique about Michigan.

Michigan needs a modern, exciting and fast-paced program showcases the extraordinarily talented people we have here; from artists and teachers, to inventors and entrepreneurs. UTR is the program that features every part of the Michigan experience.

UTR: Under the Radar Michigan has filled a need to remind viewers that there is so much that Michigan has to offer and to appreciate a television program that comes from its people and that gives a personal perspective in the voice of the people who live here, who vacation here and who work in Michigan.

So without further adieu, see the Arab American National Museum’s cultural flavor here;

Green Brain Comic’s comical view here and,

M&M Cafe’s dish of homemade neighborhood love here.