The damage to their warehouse home was worse than anticipated and their lease was terminated in November.
BWAC’s was housed at 481 Van Brunt Street until a five-alarm fire struck in September. Photo by Susan De Vries
by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper
For a while after a fire devastated a historic Red Hook warehouse, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition — one of the building’s oldest tenants — hoped they would someday return to their space. They, along with dozens of artists and small businesses, thought their displacement would be temporary.
But in November, they got bad news. The damage was worse than had been anticipated, and the building will likely be uninhabitable for years. BWAC’s lease was terminated, as were many others.
The building’s owner, The O’Connell Organization — now headed by Gregory O’Connell Jr. after the death of his father — had charged most tenants below market-rate rent in order to keep artists in Red Hook, said BWAC President Alicia Degener.
The five-alarm fire displaced artists and small businesses. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
But keeping costs low meant forgoing fire insurance, leaving O’Connell solely responsible for the costs of rebuilding. When the warehouse is ready again, they warned that the rents will be much higher. BWAC won’t be able to afford its old space.
“I get it, but we’re homeless,” Degener said.
BWAC inhabited a two-story studio at 481 Van Brunt Street for 35 years. The volunteer-run nonprofit was founded by a group of artists in need of a place to exhibit their work in 1978, and still works to support local artists and keep art accessible for Brooklynites with seasonal exhibits, workshops and other events.
Now, Degener and BWAC are starting the search for a new home, and new funding. On December 14, the organization hosted a “Holiday Bash” live fundraising auction to support its impending move.
BWAC was severely damaged by the fire and by firefighting efforts. Photo via Alicia Degener
The event, held at The Cidery at the Red Hook Distillery, offered live music, food, and a live auction of works from more than 30 artists, including pieces created by BWAC members and donated by supporters. Some of the donated pieces came from the collection of former BWAC president John Strobeen. Bidding began at just $65, and a second online auction will start on the BWAC website on December 16.
Local businesses and organizations also chipped in, donating raffle prizes like a high-level membership to the Brooklyn Museum, a $300 gift card for a meal at Brooklyn Crab, candles, coffee and more.
After the fundraiser, Degener and the BWAC team will spend the winter writing a new business plan and searching for a permanent home, she said. Before, BWAC — operating as a nonprofit with inexpensive rent — was more focused on just breaking even.
The studio was only open on weekends, and relied largely on foot traffic and donations.
BWAC’s galleries before the fire. Photo via the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition
“Now we’re going to have to rethink ourselves entirely, because any of the spaces we could possibly get is not necessarily going to have foot traffic, and we’re going to need to be open like a regular business, like five days a week,” she explained.
They already have several promising leads in Sunset Park, she said.
Until then, Degener hopes to host some pop-ups in Red Hook and in nabes like Coney Island and Bay Ridge, and wants to partner more closely with organizations like the Brooklyn Museum and Pioneer Works for events and exhibits.
BWAC is expecting some large-dollar donations from Red Hook businesses and will likely apply for a low-interest disaster loan offered by the federal Small Business Administration. After the December 14 fundraiser, Degener hopes not to need more fundraisers to stay afloat.
“I’m not going to constantly be asking people to give me things,” she said. “I think this is a one-and-done, probably. Then let’s move on, and find a new place, and … do what we do.”
Degener has remained optimistic in the aftermath of the fire, focused on keeping BWAC afloat. The community has been incredibly supportive, she said. Weeks after the fire, locals scrambled to ensure Red Hook Open Studios could go forward, and more people have applied to be on the BWAC’s this year Board of Directors than ever before.
“We’ll always, always miss BWAC there,” Degener said. “There will always be BWAC, but that space was really special … we are about to go into our 48th year. We would like to make it to 50. We need to get it to 50.”
Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.
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