Artist Housing Initiatives
The Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC) is part of a robust community of organizations offering housing and studio space for artists.
Successes:
• FPAC developed 249 A Street Artists Cooperative a limited equity artists cooperatives that provide live/work space for 44 artist households.
• FPAC developed The Artist Building at 300 Summer Street a limited equity artists cooperatives that provide live/work space for more than 47 artist households.
• FPAC assisted in the development of The Brickbottom Artist Building in Somerville an artists community which provides housing for 150 artist households.
• FPAC played an instrumental role in founding Fort Point Cultural Coalition, which developed Midway Studios, Boston’s largest artist live/work rental building with 89 units.
• FPAC negotiated with developers to include 5 artist units in the Muse Legacy Building on 63 Melcher Street.
• FPAC negotiated with developers to include 3 artist units at the FP3 Lofts at 346-354 Congress Street.
• FPAC played an influential role in including 4 artist units at Fort Point Place at 21 Wormwood Street.
Moving Forward:
• FPAC advocates for affordable housing for Artists.
• FPAC continues to advocate for the artist community in Fort Point by sitting on Impact Advisory Groups with developers.
• FPAC works with developers to negotiate publicly accessible spaces along the Fort Point Channel through the Ch. 91 approvals process instituted through the Boston Planning and Development Agency.
• FPAC is part of the planning process for the 100 Acres development plan in the Fort Point neighborhood.
The Artist Building at 300 Summer
48 Limited Equity Housing Cooperative Live-Work Studios
300summer.org
Midway Artist Studios
89 rental Live-Work Studios.
Midway Studios is unique and pivotal as Boston’s largest affordable live-work artist building. The historic artist-led acquisition of the property in 2014 established Midway as a permanent rental property, with affordable rental rates and a permanent requirement for artist certification. Midway’s unique rental model is a dynamic one; it allows artists coming out of school to afford to stay in Boston, and artists from around the world to come and work in Boston. What’s more, it allows ideas to be generated and shared between disciplines and generations.
The 250,000-square-foot building has a ground floor gallery, lower level rehearsal space and arts programming throughout during FPAC’s Open Studios events.
For more information: (617) 946-4630, Midwaystudios@Hallkeen.com
249 A Street Cooperative
35 Limited Equity Housing Cooperative Live-Work Studios
249astreetcoop.com
The building has served as a model for artists’ housing nationwide and was key in the growth of the Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC). Gallery At 249 A Street was the home of the FPAC Office for its first eleven years. The 249 A Street Cooperative celebrated its 30th anniversary with the opening of this new gallery space in September 2014.
Live/Work and Work-Only Spaces in Metro Boston
Information on studio space, artist housing, and artist certification has been generously provided by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. For more information, please visit boston.gov/arts-and-culture/artist-certification.