Westbeth Artists Community facts for kids
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Westbeth
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The Bell Laboratories Building, which now houses Westbeth, seen in 1936
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| Area | .9 acres (0.36 ha) |
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| NRHP reference No. | 09001085 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 8, 2009 |
Westbeth Artists Housing is a special place in New York City. It helps artists and art groups find affordable homes and workspaces. This large building complex covers a whole city block in the West Village area of Manhattan. It is located between West, Bethune, Washington, and Bank Streets. The name "Westbeth" comes from two of these streets: West and Bethune.
Westbeth is built inside the old Bell Laboratories Buildings. These buildings were once the main offices for Bell Telephone Laboratories from 1898 to 1966. Later, between 1968 and 1970, they were changed into homes for artists. The famous architect Richard Meier led this change. Westbeth is the biggest project of its kind in the world. It offers homes and work areas for artists who do not earn a lot of money. It was created with help from the J.M. Kaplan Fund and money from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Westbeth is run by a non-profit group called Westbeth Corp. Housing Development Fund Corp. Inc. This group has a team of volunteers who manage the buildings. Many people living at Westbeth are older, including some who have lived there since it opened. Kids of tenants can sometimes take over their parents' apartments. This helps keep different generations living together. In 2007, Westbeth stopped taking new applications because the waiting list was so long (10-12 years!). But in 2019, they started accepting applications again.
Contents
The History of Westbeth
Westbeth is one of the first examples in the United States where old factory buildings were turned into homes and art spaces. It is a group of 13 buildings in Manhattan's West Village. These buildings were once part of the Bell Laboratories Building. This was a very important research center from 1898 to 1966.
Bell Labs: A Place of Invention
Many important inventions were made at Bell Labs. These include the vacuum tube, the condenser microphone, an early version of television, and the transistor. Bell Labs moved out of the buildings in the mid-1960s. The buildings were empty until the Westbeth project began a few years later.
Creating a Home for Artists
The J.M. Kaplan Fund provided early money for the project. The National Council for the Arts (now the National Endowment for the Arts) also helped. The plan was to create homes and workspaces for 384 artists. Developer Dixon Bain led this big project.
This was the first major public project for architect Richard Meier. He later won the Pritzker Prize for Architecture, which is a very important award. Westbeth opened in 1970. It welcomed artists, dancers, musicians, actors, writers, and filmmakers.
Life at Westbeth
Artists who want to live at Westbeth are reviewed by a committee of other artists already living there. They also need to meet certain income rules when they apply. In 2014, residents paid much less for rent than similar places in the city. This included their electricity.
Westbeth also has many spaces for art and culture. There are large and small commercial areas. There are also places for performances, rehearsals, and artist studios. Several important cultural groups are based at Westbeth. These include The New School for Drama and the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance. Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, a large synagogue, is also located there.
Becoming a Historic Landmark
Westbeth was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 8, 2009. This happened after a group called the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) worked to get it listed. They hired a historian named Andrew Dolkart to write a report. His research included talking to people who helped create Westbeth. These people included architect Richard Meier and choreographer Merce Cunningham.
The New York State Historic Preservation Board agreed that Westbeth was very important. They approved its nomination to the State Register of Historic Places. Later, GVSHP also worked to make Westbeth a New York City landmark. On October 25, 2011, Westbeth was officially named a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Westbeth Organizations and Artists
The Westbeth Artists' Residents Council is a group chosen by the people who live there. They act as the building's tenant association. They also put on cultural events for the public. These events include readings, performances, and film screenings. They use the Westbeth Community Performance Space for these events.
The council also runs the Westbeth Art Gallery. This gallery shows art from both residents and other artists. The council gets money from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. In 2008, they received a big grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. This money helped them create their official website. The website shows the work of the artists who live there. It also shares information about events and exhibitions. The council also works on community issues, like protecting the historic feel of the West Village neighborhood.
Famous Artists at Westbeth
Many talented artists have lived or currently live at Westbeth. Some of them include:
- Jelon Vieira – an artistic director
- Edward Field – a poet
- Peter Bernstein – a jazz guitarist
- Valerie Ghent – a musician, singer, and producer
- David Greenspan – an actor, playwright, and director
- Madeleine Yayodele Nelson – a musician
- Nasheet Waits – a drummer
- Hugh Seidman – a poet
Images for kids
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View from the Westbeth Artists Community roof
See also
In Spanish: Westbeth Artists Community para niños
