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zebrawithflowers t1_j5hipaq wrote

Reply to comment by lovecraft_401 in What’s happening with this Bintimani/AS220 drama? by Loveroffinerthings

Funny, AS220 offers spaces below market rate to artists.

For an example, see https://as220.org/live-work-vacancy-at-empire-street-2/

Other landlords aren't interested in the cultural life of the city. But AS220 bought and rehabbed a bunch of buildings long before anyone else was interested.

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lovecraft_401 t1_j5hju20 wrote

I was referring more to them being a commercial landlord, renting to a bunch of restaurants and other businesses downtown.

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Flashbulb_RI t1_j5ho07g wrote

When AS220 bought their buildings they made sure not to price out / dislocate the small businesses on street level. Notice the small barbershop on Empire street that has been there forever and Clark the Locksmith on Washington street. They also rent live/work spaces to qualified artists WAY below market rents adding greatly to economic diversity of who lives downtown. In addition ANY artists who asks for a spot on the waiting list can have a show at their gallery, artists who probably would not have a chance of showing at a for profit / commercial gallery. They have to fund this somehow, and some of that comes from the fancy restaurants they rent to on street level at what I guess are market rates.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_j5kr0ds wrote

>When AS220 bought their buildings they made sure not to price out / dislocate the small businesses on street level.

Unless it's the Satin Doll.

Below market rents is great. But if we're going to shit on Brown for not paying close to full freight on property taxes, I don't see why AS220 should get a pass for it.

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Flashbulb_RI t1_j5l230d wrote

I believe the Satin Doll went out of business long before AS220 bought that building.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_j5l4eo9 wrote

It was open until the building was sold. FWIW, I think the owner of the club partially owned the building when he sold in 2015. I don't know why they gave up on the plan for that space but I think they ended up flipping the building to Durk's within a few years.

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Flashbulb_RI t1_j5lwj1x wrote

So, the owner of the club sold his own building or fraction of, got his $$ and you're blaming AS220 for his dislocation? OK.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_j5lxcsp wrote

I was pointing out that they haven't kept every business open. Can't help but notice you skipped right past my point about the property taxes though

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Flashbulb_RI t1_j5lz2fc wrote

My understanding (I'm not a tax expert) is that when a non profit owns a building (Brown or AS220) and rents out that building (or a portion of) to a for profit business such as a restaurant, that property is taxed at the normal commercial rate.

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lovecraft_401 t1_j5kzdos wrote

I’m not saying AS220 doesn’t still do good work - they certainly do. They’re just not as grass roots and altruistic as the once were.

If you watch the video the guy from Bintimani posted, he’s main issue is that AS220 treated them like a business. He says AS220 has a responsibility to help marginalized communities, and then deciding not to host Bintimani pop-ups anymore is a direct act of aggression against a oppressed communities by the “non-profit industrial complex”

I’m really just pointing out how much AS220 has changed and that people shouldn’t expect the same level of altruism they once had.

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