Art studio looks to build economy

Some artists and a few creative developers in Columbia are trying to start a renaissance. But don’t think 15th-century art movement. Imagine instead the rebirth of part of Columbia’s downtown.

By transforming warehouses into art studios and embarking on other projects to pump new life into what used to be an industrial area, Columbia residents and officials hope to make the North Village a section of town where artists — and the local economy — can thrive.

Orr Street Studios, the first of these developments to be completed, offers 16 studio spaces for rent at $1.25 per square foot in what used to be the Watkins Roofing warehouses.

“This is a place where artists come to work and to be with other artists,” manager and sculptor Chris Teeter said. “It also gives exposure to the public as a place for people to come look at art.”

The 8,000-square-foot building has three studio sizes: 144, 264 and 420 square feet. The rooms come with a large sink, but are otherwise left unfurnished.

Orr Street Studios has a warehouse feel with concrete floors and exposed pipes on the ceiling, but Teeter’s sculptures on each studio’s door and the spotlighted artwork on the walls make the building’s new purpose clear.

Twenty-six artists, some who share a space, have already moved in, though final touches such as painting the outside of the building and installing a sign are still in progress. Teeter said Orr Street plans to have open studio times when the public can view the artists’ work. It will also offer art programs, lectures and visiting shows. Owner Mark Timberlake is looking to eventually open a café in the building.

Special Business District Board member Mike Vangel, who also serves on the Missouri Arts Council, said he hopes the studios will “provide a spark for the North Village.”

“I believe Columbia has a very vibrant arts culture, and it makes a significant contribution to what makes Columbia attractive,” Vangel said. “I hope the addition of Orr Street Studios can provide another outlet for that.”

The North Village is part of the central business district north of Broadway from Eighth Street to College Avenue. The area is historically industrial and features several dilapidated warehouses. The Wabash Station near the studio used to be the last stop on the Wabash Railroad. The depot now serves as the main hub for the city’s bus system, and a project is under way to renovate the building and convert it into a major transportation center.

Teeter said the city also plans to take down unsightly power lines and fix alleyways in the area, which could also help the Village shed its rough appearance.

Special Business District Board director Carrie Gartner said people and businesses have been trying for years to create “a neighborhood for artists to live and work.”

In 2005, glass artist Susan Taylor Glasgow helped organize the Village Art Team to encourage artists to buy homes in the area. Glasgow said that now more than 100 artists, musicians and writers live in the area, creating a “bohemian atmosphere.”

“The Village is the front door to downtown, so anything we do to make it more attractive, safer and more pleasant will help downtown,” Glasgow said.

Chris Frederick, a painter who shares a 14-by-30-foot studio on Orr Street with two other artists, said “community” is the most important aspect of the development.

“We all have studios at home, but we come here to work and get inspiration from each other,” Frederick said. “There are so many talented artists in Columbia, but never in one spot. I’m so grateful someone had the vision and the guts to put it together.”

Stephanie Lyons had a similar vision for several years. When Lyons began developing The Warehouse Studios three years ago, she planned to house her project on Orr Street. After that deal fell through, Lyons found space in the old Diggs meat-packing plant, where her nonprofit organization will open when building renovation is complete this summer.

“The demand for inexpensive space for artists and musicians has always been and will continue to be a need that is hard to meet,” Lyons said in an e-mail. “We want to provide a place for seasoned artists to develop their artistic purpose and a place for new artists to discover their growing talents.”

In 2003, another group of artists, realizing the lack of places where they could share their work with others, created Garage Art, a community project that organizes art showcases at people’s homes during the summer.

Garage Art member Alison Hunter said the group has been successful because artists volunteer their own homes to hold events. She said she has “high hopes” for downtown art studios but worries that they might fail to generate enough revenue to sustain themselves. If the studios succeed, however, Hunter said the city and its artists have much to gain.

“If they can pull off a community-minded artist’s enclave downtown, it would give Columbia higher standing in the art world than any of our colleges or universities or galleries, and, hopefully, art lovers in the area would benefit, too,” she said in an e-mail.

Glasgow said she hopes an established studio like Orr Street will encourage those outside of Columbia to visit the Village for gallery crawls and other events.

“Long term, I would like to see out-of-town people think of the Village as a destination,” Glasgow said. “It’d be great if people on .0 decided to stop and walk through the neighborhood, meet some artists and enjoy the atmosphere.”