For a less glamorous property that does not possess the three most important things in real estate-"location-location-location"-the only remaining option may be "occupation-occupation-occupation"-preferably an order Exciting choice. This is why a small number of downtown communities hope that turning an abandoned strip mall into the latest artist's industrial studio space can reverse the region's struggling reputation.

The fledgling art and design center opened at 3778 E. Grant Road earlier this month, and over time, it may help this notoriously unlucky area. 

Located west of the average and miserable intersection of Grant and Alvernon Road, the collection of buildings now known as ADC has long been a thorn in the eyes of residents and rush hour commuters. Over time, these properties housed a variety of interior design-related businesses, including southwest theme furniture stores, interior decoration and fabric workshops, wicker furniture restoration businesses, and lampshade repair services.

A few years ago, the city decided to purchase this 42-year-old ivory complex to make way for the accelerated Grant Highway improvement project. Since 2018, the property has been covered with store closure signs, and then a giant MOVING appeared. Sales-everything must go to the banner. Then it was left vacant for several months, while the landscaping stopped, weeds flourished, a once leafy tree died, and the shady porch of the abandoned property collected lost souls and thin addicts while nodding.

But times, they may be changing.

"Sometimes the (buildings) that artists can afford are places where others don't want to stay-but when artists move into the community, they can convince everyone that it is about to change," non-project manager Jim Wilcox Say. Profit Warehouse Art Management Organization (WAMO). "Then others want to be there. But the artist comes first."

WAMO is an artist-led group that manages the studio space for approximately 65 working creatives in Tucson. It has refurbished and subleased spaces in such locations as the Steinfeld Warehouse Community Arts Center at 101 W. Sixth St. and The Toole Shed at 197 E. Toole Ave.

The Grant Road complex, previously named the "Wicker and Rattan Design Center", was renamed as the Art and Design Center, partly because the artist wanted to reuse part of the existing exterior signage. An artisan welder made an eye-catching yellow taxi "ART" sign and hung it on the railing next to the remaining letters. and many more!

As the expansion of Grant Road continues to engulf properties and buildings along the street, the two-story ADC will lose its single-story annex on the west side and most of the parking lot in front of it. It will retain its spacious backyard with enough space for parking, events and artist work areas.

Inside, 18 artists work in different studios, from the practical metal shed in the courtyard outside to the spacious climate-controlled space in the main building. The ADC art family includes sculptors, painters, photographers, fine art metalsmiths, mixed media artists, musicians, jewelry artisans, glass sculptors, fire performers, and latex fan fashion designers.

Some have previously worked with Citizens Warehouse on the rough edge of 44 W. Sixth St. Earlier this year, as work on the Downtown Links project accelerated, the streets of Tony's red brick Steinfeld Warehouse community art center were emptied of artists. Upon completion of the project, a four-lane corridor highway will pass under the track, connecting Interstate 10 with Barraza-Aviation Parkway and Interstate 210.

A few months ago, while visiting the abandoned Grant Road property, photographer and painter Monique Laraway stated that she could see that it has great potential, but it requires “a lot of work and love. "In order to integrate it. Today, she lives in a comfortable air-conditioned studio next to the front hall, and her husband Colin Holmes hides his evaporative cooling craftsman welding studio behind.

ADC occupies a lot of land: it occupies one acre and has approximately 8,700 square feet of internal studio space, excluding the two-story loft used by the painter David Lopez Jr. (David Lopez Jr.).

Lopez-a determined and optimistic man who paints under the pen name "Nezah"-is in charge of the building and helps guide a group of independent artists to reach consensus when important issues need to be resolved. He also helped organize the most recent grand opening with a large number of participants, which basically introduced so far quiet businesses to the neighborhood, as well as a larger Aztec-themed celebration last weekend. 

Together with others, Lopez used his architectural skills to help shape this huge building-tearing up dyed carpets, erecting steel frames and plasterboards, opening up separate studios in an open floor plan, and putting a spacious The corridors are painted into dazzling white galleries. They also save space for the glass exhibition hall with plenty of natural light.

Other elements of the renovation include adding fences, improving lighting, repairing the building’s air-conditioning system, and replacing old swamp coolers.

Lopez said the work lasted for several months, "it's like watching a child grow up."

Unlike raising children, Open ADC has experienced a lot of growing pains in the process. 

The problem of homeless camps has emerged. Tools and other items were stolen. The niche outside the lobby door attracts wanderers, so metal artist Sherlock Holmes installed a corrugated steel barrier to keep them out. (The vandal quickly climbed over it, broke in through the first-floor window, and took away two of his art sculptures.) 

Since then, he has strengthened the barrier and built it up with solid decorative decorations. Additional safety lighting was installed to encourage artists to actively stop wandering. They are struggling to learn the need to "strengthen the target"-the crime prevention concept of "locking in or losing it" that many local residents are already familiar with.

Although parts of the surrounding communities may be fascinating and well cared for, opportunistic criminals have caused a frustrating quality of life problem for many people in the area. Property crimes — porch piracy, vandalism, bicycle theft, car break-in and theft — are local. Businesses and homeowners destroyed camps for the homeless, only to make them appear in other places nearby. Prescription opioid dependence has evolved into a cheaper heroin addiction, so intravenous syringes discarded during outings are not an unusual finding.

People who use art to heal pain seem to be particularly important here. 

Once upon a time, neighbourhood élan Vital and other psychological pressures led Hopi sculptor and painter Gerry Quotskuyva to smear buildings and burn sacred herbs in an attempt to clear the profound negative energy. 

Quotskuyva is an award-winning artist who has exhibited works in museums and galleries across the country, and he won the last air-conditioned studio of ADC. There, between the dark wine-colored walls, he painted and sculpted, and sculpted a feather-light Katsina from dry poplar roots.

When he closed his art gallery in Sedona last year, he knew he wanted to return to his alma mater, Tucson.

"It's a choice between lifestyle and therapy — or Santa Fe and money," he quipped. 

Quotskuyva said that ADC's collection of artists may be a creative dream team.

"There are some extraordinary artists here, and there are many young generations who are just starting out," he said. "They are asking questions. They want to learn. I hope we can blend well together. If we don't stay here, we will all move on together." 

ADC artists sign a studio lease with WAMO every year, and WAMO signs an annual lease for the building itself with the City of Tucson. Some people still hold grudges against the expulsion of citizens, but they have not forgotten that although a road project drove them out of a dirty but beloved warehouse in the city center, another street widened and opened up a larger, newer, arguably larger More high-end industrial spaces are in the city center.

The rent for art studios there is based on size and comfort. Work space in a simple courtyard shed is charged 10 cents per square foot per month. The rent for a swamp-cooled indoor studio is 35 cents per square foot, while the maximum price for an air-conditioned room is 65 cents per square foot per month. 

WAMO used the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded by the federal government and the Historic Preservation Fund to upgrade and renovate several buildings in the Tucson Historic Warehouse Art District in the post-industrial era. Wilcox stated that it has spent nearly $60,000 to make the Grant Road complex meet code requirements and will adjust future rents to keep up with operating costs. 

If the artists choose to return when the Citizens Warehouse reopens, then we also have a solution: there are three dozen more ready to take their place. 

"The standard art space in the city center along Toole Avenue and Monterey Court Studio Galleries (located on Miracle Mile) is $2 to $3 per square foot," Wilcox said. "That's why we have a waiting list that will last forever."

Residents in some areas—more specifically, those in the Garden District, Palo Verde, Dodge Flower, and Oak Blossom communities—are temporarily encouraged by the early changes in the property, but want to see more. The landscape cleanup request made to the local real estate and property management company Peach Properties was basically unresolved. In mid-October, homeless people could still be seen sleeping on the front porch.

"Anytime we can provide space for the creative class, I support it," said City Councillor Steve Kozachik, who represents the 6th district in the city center. ... If the management can pay more attention to the external maintenance of the space, the neighbors will be very grateful. "

Lopez acknowledged these concerns and the need to involve surrounding communities.

"This community was, is and will continue...violent (and) many drugs and robberies," he observed. "But this is the challenge of art. It changes the landscape, life, place, and makes us better people." 

His partner is Yovannah Diovanti, a lively woman whose colorful paintings celebrate desert flora and fauna and indigenous culture, especially mothers and their children. As a native of Jalisco, Mexico (it is famous for high-quality ceramics, stamped tin and other folk arts), she is looking for ways to integrate the culture and community here, and hold art exhibitions and seminars on the first Saturday Meeting and open studio tour art tour. 

She said: “We hope that this will be a place where people can find something to do to help them balance their energy and meet other people.” “Connecting people to art is something we have been doing as adults. But when we came here, we immediately saw more potential: art can achieve the purpose of healing."  

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