Mayor Meets Match
Letters appear, at first glance, to have become less relevant these days. Technological devices take care of the stamp, envelope, and messy handwriting with a few clicks of a mouse. Yet, letters require the time, thought, and effort that few emails or phone calls can boast. With that said, the ease of communication today increases the significance of a letter. We are now looking at a time where people, organizations, and publications will take notice of a mailed communiquè, and thankfully we live in a city where our mayor will respond—and so will our publications.
The Providence Journal article, “The Politics of Art” [10/22/06] written by Bill Van Siclen, detailed Mayor Cicilline’s creative economy and some of the criticism he has received. In the article the Mayor cites Firehouse 13, located at 41 Central Street, as a “recent example of artist-owned housing and studio projects.” Yet at the time of this article’s publication in October, Anna Shapiro, Director of Fire House 13, found herself at the blunt end of the bureaucratic quagmire that is Providence development. Seeing no end to this wall, she wrote a letter detailing some issues that local-based and community-oriented developers often face. She sent the letter to the Mayor and carbon copied city officials and the press.
In last week’s Providence Phoenix [11/24/06], Phillipe & Jorge lent their powerful column to discuss Ms. Shapiro’s letter, comparing Pawtucket’s artist-liason HerbWeiss' quick response to Providence’s apparent lagging inaction, ending their commentary with a rare plea: “Please, let’s work this out. Firehouse 13 is too good an enterprise to face this bureaucratic stasis.”
Another esteemed Providence publication attended to the same subject by relating Ms. Shaprio’s comments to a similar-in-type development. Providence Business News writer Natalie Myers wrote an article about a new a development project called The Grant, located at 250 Main Street in Downtown Pawtucket. The article, “Artists Racing Ahead of City Authorities,” relates Ms. Shapiro’s difficulties with the development of Firehouse 13 to some of the issues The Grant has had. “Small arts developers…don’t have the time or the resources to pay someone to help them navigate the system and manage the relationships,” Michael Lozano told Meyers. Spearheaded by a two-member team with a lot of community help—J. Hogue and Micheal Lozano—The Grant is a mixed-use business incubator for design and arts-related businesses.
Both The Grant and Firehouse 13 are small arts oriented development projects that have preserved the historic buildings they now occupy. The Grant is a place, as detailed on their website, “where small business owners can collaborate, share resources and knowledge, and meet with their clients in a comfortable, professional atmosphere.” It has similar philosophies of connection as Firehouse 13, which is “a forward thinking urban project appealing to experimental artists and creative innovators.” In fact, The Grant and Firehouse 13 are not alone as mavericks of forward-thinking development projects, The Dirt Palace, The Hive Archive, AS220, The Steel Yard and Monahassett Mill, all share similarities: arts or education oriented, community focused, with local, onsite owners.
Anna Shapiro’s letter was a call to action; a need for the city to recognize the difficulties associated with smaller development businesses and organizations that are trying to navigate a difficult system – which appears to cater to larger corporate development entities.
Letters are often invitations; here is a powerful invitation to join the conversation.
