Artists lose space due to building sale
Artists to lose longtime studio space with sale of landmark building
I don’t think any of us wants to have a fight. It’s not helpful. All of us want the best for everyone but at this point, it’s at crosspurposes.
About 20 Saskatoon artists are losing their cherished studio space with the sale of the legendary Tees and Persse building on First Avenue North.
“It’s just been a terrific space for artists. Has great light. The rent is very reasonable,” Betsy Rosenwald said recently.
She’s been renting her portion of the fourth floor for about 20 years. She started renting three months before moving to Saskatoon from New York knowing how rare good space can be.
“We don’t need much, we just need walls and light and access and a locked door. It’s just been a terrific 20 years for me here.”
Dawna Rose has had her studio in the rugged 1911 former warehouse for 25 years. There’s never been hot water but rent was cheap and it suited her needs. She gets emotional thinking about losing it.
“The only thing that’s kept me in the city is this space. I don’t have any reason to be here other than this space. Why stay here, really? It’s a serious thing to contemplate. It sounds drastic, but it’s true.”
The building has been owned by the Carmichael family for more than 45 years. Ken Carmichael took over from his parents running Charter House Interiors on the lower levels. Now 65, he’s looking at retirement. A sign on the door says a retirement sale will be held April 6 to 14.
“I sympathize with them,” he said of the artists. “Some of them have been here 25 years or more with me and it’s worked out great for everybody. It’s nothing fancy but I made the most of what I could out of it and I need to retire.”
He put the building up for sale in January, asking $1.95 million. Real estate agent Scott Friesen said he couldn’t comment on any aspect of the sale or who the potential buyer is.
Still up in the air is when the tenants have to leave. On March 23, the artists were given until April 30.
Rosenwald says that’s not enough time to pack, move and find new spaces. She says the artists have legal advice that they’re entitled to six months notice. Nothing was resolved by press time.
“I don’t think any of us wants to have a fight. It’s not helpful. All of us want the best for everyone but at this point, it’s at cross-purposes,” Rose says.
As it happens, news of the sale came less than a week before Rosenwald and Rose had a show opening at Art Placement. They laugh ruefully at the title they unwittingly chose: Our Enduring Drama. It runs to May 10.
Regardless of the timeline, the artists know they will have to move eventually. That brings to light an ongoing problem for artists: finding affordable work spaces in urban centres.
“I need the space to create what I make,” Rosenwald says. “I can’t continue to work without the space.”
She is paying about $370 a month; Rose’s rent is about $450. They looked at one listing on Second Avenue that would cost $3,000 a month.
Meanwhile, there’s still hope to convert the former bus barns into art-oriented facilities. Formed five years ago, ArtSpace Saskatoon envisions a multi-use facility that would contain private studios, shared studios and equipment for visual artists and artisans, performing arts rehearsal space, a gallery and retail, brew pub and cafe. At one point, the city was planning to level the buildings and create a park.
“It’s an exciting project and we’re making great headway. We’ve got a really good board of directors who are really working hard on the project. Hopefully it comes together in the next little while,” said Betty Gibbon, acting president of ArtSpace Saskatoon.
The City of Saskatoon awarded a contract in November to assess the environmental risks in and around the building.
“I think it’s potentially one of many great opportunities for that space. I’ve heard a lot of great and creative ideas. This is certainly one of them,” said city councillor Hilary Gough.