Liberty Village pioneers Artscape lose iconic building

Dennis Hanagan –

Artscape Liberty Village at 60 Atlantic Ave. has closed after 21 years of providing affordable studio space for artists.

“It’s painful to have to close down a project that’s one of the early successes of Artscape and one that played a role in the development of Liberty Village,” Artscape president and CEO Tim Jones told The Bulletin in an interview.

The two-storey building is now with Hullmark Realty, which plans to make it a retail and office venture. Artscape’s lease and those of its tenants were terminated Nov. 30.

Many of the artists have found other accommodation or are in temporary quarters until they move into the new Artscape Youngplace on Shaw St. north of Queen in the summer of 2013.

Artscape tried unsuccessfully to find other sites that could be developed in short order with affordable rents for the Atlantic Ave. tenants. “We’ve been working very hard to try to help people,” Jones said.

In his announcement, Jones said the Toronto Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO) and the city told Artscape in 2005 that the annual operating subsidy required to keep rents below market “needed to end.”

With support from TEDCO, Artscape and a would-be partner tried to obtain the parking lot on 60 Atlantic’s north side, double the amount of affordable arts space, and secure title to it. It was hoped the additional density would help pay for the Artscape portion. In the end Hullmark outbid the partner.

The city also wants Artscape’s projects to offer community benefits.

Artscape now endeavours to include that kind of thing in its newer projects. “Our newer projects are very mindful of providing public and community benefits,” Jones said in the interview.

In addition to visual artist studios and space for non-profit arts organizations, Artscape Youngplace’s 75,000 square feet will accommodate a café, a community “living room,” multi-media workshops for the public, music education for amateurs and professionals, family resources, and art galleries in the 14-foot wide hallways.

One third of the building will be sold for art design studios at affordable and market rates.