County Secures $1.7M To Bring Color to Artspace Project in Patchogue

By Hank Russell
Patchogue-Medford News

In giving a boost to the Village of Patchogue’s renovation plans, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy has announced on December 17 that he has provided $1.7 million to help the village in its Artspace project, which will provide 45 affordable housing units, workspace for artist, and retail space.

The renovation project entails the Terry Road corridor from South Ocean Avenue to Rider Avenue, according to Village Mayor Paul Pontieri. “One of the problems we have in the village is being able to provide affordable housing in the village,” he said. “This [program] will provide affordable housing and [the village] will become a destination by bringing in artists here.” He said affordable housing is the only way to “keeping our young kids here on Long Island.”

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Artist colony proposed for Patchogue

Artist colony proposed for Patchogue

By David Winzelberg
Friday, April 25, 2008

Patchogue’s rebirth could include a little slice of Manhattan’s SoHo. At least that’s what Patchogue officials hope will become of its 103,000-square-foot project planned for Terry Street, one block south of Main.

Artspace, a nonprofit developer of loft-style live/work residences for artists and musicians, will build a 43-unit affordable housing project on the four-acre parcel, which is now the site of two underutilized village parking lots and a vacant house the village recently bought for $375,000.

Village Trustee Lori Devlin said that many artists already call Patchogue home, but a restored Patchogue Theater and revived Patchogue Arts Council have “brought a lot of people out of the woodwork.” Devlin said a first arts show on Terry Street has already been scheduled for September.

Village Mayor Paul Pontieri said the four-story Artspace project, scheduled for a 2010 completion, would create a cultural arts incubator because it would provide artists with a place to live and work.

Village Trustee Gerard Crean said the Artspace project should generate economic activity for the whole village because affluent art collectors will stop by, acquire art, shop downtown and visit restaurants.

Crean said Artspace would also transform some village retail space, and bring arts-related businesses and other new tenants to nearby stores. Minneapolis-based Artspace began developing live/work units for artists in 1979, when rising rents were forcing artists out of Minneapolis’ historic warehouse district. The company has built or redeveloped 19 complexes in metropolitan areas, including Seattle, Houston, Reno and Chicago.

Patchogue’s rebirth has already included housing, including Copper Beech. The village is also anxiously awaiting Tritec’s mixed-use plans for a hotel, retail and residences on Main Street. But the mayor said the Artspace project and the cultural reincarnation of Terry Street “completes the circle” between performing and fine arts, and would bring a new cache to a once tired village.

“Out east, art is an industry,” Pontieri said. “We think it becomes critical to a downtown’s survival.”

Before it closed in 1954, the Patchogue-Plymouth Lace Mill was the village’s largest employer and Terry Street bustled with activity because of it. The mill itself was blocks away – it’s the current site of Briarcliffe College – and a row of small homes built for mill employees still line the eastern end of Terry.

Eventually, Pontieri wants the homes turned into gallery space for the budding Terry Street colony, which would stretch from South Ocean Avenue to Rider Avenue. “It will give an identity to the street,” Pontieri said. “It’s an attraction.”

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