A group of artists reached a precarious point in their quest to save their Boston studios.
The 42 artists, who rent space at the Humphreys Street Studios in Dorchester, fear they will be displaced if an offer on the property is finalized. The artists had hoped to gain control of the studios through a partnership with two mission-driven developers, New Atlantic and Placetailor.
The developers planned to develop the property’s massive back lot and transfer ownership of the studio building to a nonprofit managed by the artists. The group submitted a $2.75 million offer in April
. They included a contingency that further environmental studies be made on the property since chemicals from an underground oil tank leached into the soil. But they found out last week that the property’s four co-owners had accepted a cash offer from another buyer, Kendall Capital LLC.
By Amelia Mason, WBUR Arts & Culture Reporter
December 24, 2020
The landmark chimney of the Humphrey Street Studios near Uphams Corner. Robin Lubbock/WBUR photos
On a warm day in early September, the Humphreys Street Studios in Dorchester bustle with activity. Jemuel Stephenson stands in a room overlooking a massive workshop, next to a stack of his laser-cut bamboo boxes. Patterned with bright, psychedelic swirls, they’re deceptively simple, edges fit snugly together without nails or hinges.
“This one has a little twist and a pull right there,” Stephenson says, picking up a box and giving the lid a deft spin. “And that’s how that one opens.”
On a warm day in early September, the Humphreys Street Studios in Dorchester bustle with activity. Jemuel Stephenson stands in a room overlooking a massive workshop, next to a stack of his laser-cut bamboo boxes. Patterned with bright, psychedelic swirls, they’re deceptively simple, edges fit snugly together without nails or hinges.
“This one has a little twist and a pull right there,” Stephenson says, picking up a box and giving the lid a deft spin. “And that’s how that one opens.”
The workshop is home to a number of creatives and entrepreneurs, whose makeshift studios line the edges of the space. Stephenson says the artists often work together, sharing tools and resources. He values that collaborative environment.