ChaShaMa Artists Face Eviction From Studios as Tenancy Agreement Expires

ChaShaMa, the nonprofit that rents studios to artists at a discount, has been told to vacate half of its space inside the Brooklyn Army Terminal by the end of October. New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) officials informed the organization in August that a neighboring tenant wanted to expand into the 20,000-square-foot wing on the third floor of Building A, forcing ChaShaMa to clear out. The move will displace 29 artists who have rented there since 2007.

NYCEDC Orders the Move

NYCEDC officials told ChaShaMa in August to vacate the 20,000-square-foot wing on the third floor of Building A by the end of October. The reason: a neighboring tenant wants to expand its footprint into that area. ChaShaMa and the city both declined to provide the tenant’s name.

The organization has operated at the former military supply base for nearly two decades.

A New Lease in Negotation

ChaShaMa is currently negotiating with the city to lease another part of Building B. That new lease would add 70 new studios and consolidate the organization’s presence at the terminal.

But the move will displace 29 artists who have been renting from ChaShaMa in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, since 2007. Those artists were asked to pack up their materials before October 12.

What Artists Stand to Lose

The artists displaced by this move are not just losing a workplace. They are losing a community they have built over nearly two decades. Many have been renting from ChaShaMa since 2007, and the terminal has been their home base for their creative work.

The move will force them to find new studios elsewhere in Brooklyn. Some may have to pay full market rent, which could price them out entirely. Others may have to split up their workspaces, storing some of their materials in temporary storage while they look for permanent replacements.

The organization’s request that tenants pack up by October 12 is tight. Artists have only a few weeks to move their work, their tools, and their collections out of the space they have occupied for nearly two decades.

The Fragility of Subsidized Space

Artists in New York City have faced rising costs across the board. Organizations like ChaShaMa exist precisely to provide a counterweight to that trend, offering subsidized rates to artists who might otherwise be priced out of the city entirely.

The displacement at the Brooklyn Army Terminal is a reminder of how fragile that support can be. A single tenant’s expansion request can undo years of stability in a matter of months.

Here is what the situation boils down to:

1. NYCEDC ordered ChaShaMa to vacate the 20,000-square-foot wing by the end of October.
2. The neighboring tenant wants to expand into that space.
3. ChaShaMa is negotiating a new lease in Building B, which would add 70 new studios.
4. That move displaces 29 artists who have rented since 2007.
5. Artists were asked to pack up by October 12.

The key facts are stark. A 20,000-square-foot wing, occupied by artists for nearly two decades, is being cleared to make room for a single tenant’s expansion. Twenty-nine artists are losing their studios.

The Warning Sign

The displacement at the terminal is a warning sign. It shows how quickly a stable arrangement can fall apart when a tenant’s expansion request trumps everything else.

The organization is doing what it can. It is negotiating a new lease that would add 70 new studios. But those efforts cannot fully replace the stability that artists have lost.

This is a loss for the artists, for the organization, and for the city’s cultural fabric. The terminal has been a working home for artists for nearly two decades. It deserves better than this.

Key facts:
– NYCEDC ordered ChaShaMa to vacate by the end of October
– Neighboring tenant wants to expand into the 20,000-square-foot wing on the third floor of Building A
– New lease would add 70 new studios in Building B
– 29 artists displaced, having rented since 2007
– Artists asked to pack up by October 12

What remains unclear is whether the new lease in Building B will fully compensate for the loss. The 70 new studios would consolidate ChaShaMa’s presence at the terminal, but they cannot bring back the 29 artists who are now being forced to leave.

See the a run of 13 images at Hyperallergic.

affordable housing · artists · Brooklyn Army Terminal · Eviction · NYCEDC · studio space