Aug 22, 2007 Toledo Blade story

The 22-block "arts zone," which has yet to be delineated by signs or officially named, also will serve as a catalyst for economic growth, making Toledo a more desirable place for businesses and young professionals, proponents said.

The art district is in a southeast portion of downtown and covers parts of the warehouse district on St. Clair Street. It is bounded by Huron Street, I-75 and the Amtrak station, and the Maumee River and the planned Middlegrounds Metropark.

The arts zone is part of the Live Work Create Toledo development initiative, a partnership involving the city and the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo. The initiative got under way this year, and has set a goal of attracting 30 artists and five creative or art-themed businesses to Toledo annually. It also aims to help bring 40 new artist working and living studios or galleries to the downtown area within five years.

Mr. Finkbeiner said the city will provide $50,000 in community development funds for the program to match the $100,000 the arts commission raised in private-sector donations. "We want to replicate what other cities like Columbus, with their Short North neighborhood, have accomplished in attracting artists to their cities, and enhancing the beauty of their cities as well as their economies," he said.

The news conference was in a gallery on Jefferson Avenue inside the former Secor Hotel, which now houses studio spaces for about 20 artists. The building is one of four artist collectives within the new arts zone, along with the Olive Street studios, a network of studios on Morris Street, and a building at 136 North Huron. More than 40 artists are working within the new district, said Marc Folk, executive director of the arts commission.

Some links to Columbus's Short North District:

• shortnorth.org
• theshortnorth.com
• shortnorth.com - weekly newspaper for the Short North.

My notes from a Feb 22, 2007 ReUrbanism meeting that mentioned Live Work Create Toledo

• A project by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo (ACGT)
• More about the Live Work Create Toledo program from Joel Washing of TwoToledos.com :
  • Economic incentive for artists to relocate to certain neighborhoods.
  • Modeled after program used in Paducah, KY.
    • PaducahArts.com - Paducah Artist Relocation Program
  • Toledo's program is working with local banks to get them to offer attractive loan rates to the artists.
  • Possibly will create a health care collective for the artists.
  • The Live Work Create Toledo program is still in the incubation stage.
    • Need to do a feasibility study
    • What buildings are appropriate for creating an artists' colony?
      • Possibly buildings on Huron Street could be acquired for artists' studios and residences.
  • Live Work Create Toledo would encourage artists to move into "decaying" areas of the city.
  • Initial target areas to get artists to reside in would be:
    • Uptown area
    • Old West End
  • Program extended to local artists too.
  • Goal is to bring 30 artists per year into the target neighborhood(s).
  • Artists would be required to live in the neighborhood for a year.
  • Advantage of bringing in outside artists is if they decide to move to another part of the country after their residence in Toledo, hopefully, they spread the word about the positive aspects of Toledo.
  • In March, two arts orgs from out of town will be in Toledo to give advice.
    • March 8, 2007 Toledo Blade story titled City sees artists as economic force. The article discussed Live Work Create Toledo. The article said Artspace Projects from Minneapolis and ArtistLink from Boston would be visiting Toledo on March 8.
• About Live Work Create Toledo from the ACGT Web site:
  • The program will facilitate the development of incentives to leverage the creative talent of individual artists and our cultural assets to spur economic growth, build community prosperity, and transform our central city neighborhoods.
  • Working with real estate agents, businesses, artists, arts organizations, and homeowners in communities, the City seeks to attract artists and concentrate our existing artist population to become permanent residents and business owners in our central city.
  • The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo is working with the City to develop a package of tax credits, professional development opportunities, and grants and with banks to establish favorable lending terms for artists.
• Seyfang mentioned a new building will be built, not rehabbed but built from the ground up, in the Uptown area on 22nd street.
  • New building will be an artist's studio and residence.
• Seyfang said not all development has to be rehab of old buildings.
• Seyfang said more new building construction is needed.
• The Uptown area has a lot of vacant space for new building construction.
  • Utilities, of course, are already available, and the Uptown area has good traffic patterns, according to Seyfang.
• The Warehouse District is mainly rehab of old buildings.
• Seyfang would like to see some of the vacant parking lots in the Warehouse District be turned over to residential development.

A few past Toledo Talk postings about the arts:

• May 7, 2003 - New business via Art

• Sep 9, 2003 - A plan for improving the Arts in Toledo

• Feb 9, 2004 - Lack of funds for local art orgs