2014 Election: In their own Words: Live/work spaces are sometimes considered crucial for incubating both artists and small businesses. Would you develop any plans to cultivate these spaces in [Providence / Rhode Island]?

RI Governor

Gina Raimondo (D): Absolutely. We are already home to some great shared spaces and incubators, and as governor I will work to highlight and expand these wonderful resources

Clay Pell (D):I welcome the opportunity as governor to promote the arts statewide and ensure artists have access to the space they need for their work. I would direct Commerce RI to partner with local communities to identify the spaces available to artists and promote them as part of the state’s overall economic development plans. Additionally, I would direct statewide planning to create an inventory of artists spaces that are zoned in every city and town comprehensive plan as another tool for promoting growth in the arts.

Providence Mayor

Daniel Harrop (R): Reduction in taxes at all levels will help all businesses, all rents, all galleries, everyone. At the moment, artists are in the same boat as all other businesses. A reduction in city tax levels, which can be accomplished over the next five years by first placing the city into receivership and then doing away with the unjust pensions and tax stabilization plans and private deals, which have been handed out like candy starting with the Cianci administration and through the last several Democratic mayors, will lift all businesses and help all city citizens, including the arts.
Buddy Cianci (I): I’ve always been a proponent of live/work spaces; I’d love to see an expansion of safe, affordable spaces that are conducive to all types of artistic endeavors. I’m also a proponent of historic tax credits, and for using them on the large stock of city mill buildings to create accessible live/work space for artists.

Michael Solomon (D): Vertical work/live space is crucial for the arts and the entrepreneurial community at large. Between historic mills in our neighborhoods and vacant skyscraper space downtown, I can think plenty of room where we should let our entrepreneurial community thrive. I would see if we could leverage workforce development funds to rehabilitate and modernize these spaces.

Jorge Elorza (D): It’s not up to the mayor to be in the real estate business; we need to let the market dictate what will happen. That being said, I am open to meeting with any developer that has a real plan and presents a real public good. I will make sure that the projects that truly have merit are properly and swiftly shepherded through our various city departments and processes. We’ve had success in the past with revitalizing our old mill buildings through live/work spaces and arts communities, and I hope to see more developers coming to City Hall with similar plans.

Brett Smiley (D): I remember seeing a video of Bert Crenca (AS220) at a talk in New York, and he says, “We have these live/work space for $400/month.” And there was an audible gasp from the audience, and the moderator interrupts and says, “Really?” He says, “Yeah,” and she says, “I think I need to move to Providence.”

Live/work space is important. I think the robust solution is to partner with organizations like AS220. I used to work in affordable housing. They don’t often consider live/work space as a part of their mix. I would work with the CDCs and the city to have them include that in their mix, and then there would be some money to help do it – in Federal HUD money and RI Housing money — that makes the numbers work.