Rent row threatens Armory lease

Florida Keys News

Friday, April 13, 2012

Rent row threatens Armory lease

Foundation: Artists' community channeling some of its revenue to another nonprofit

BY MANDY MILES Citizen Staff
mmiles@keysnews.com

The financial picture isn't pretty for a Key West artists' community that lost two-thirds of its promised funding in 2009 and says it is unable to pay the agreed-upon rent for its building lease. But the foundation that oversees the property says the organization is diverting funds to another nonprofit that it could be using for rent.

Representatives from The Studios of Key...

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industry

Submitted on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 1:20pm

what do you think tourists do in KW when they are done drinking and fishing?they buy or look at art.that money is spent here in local business and rentals.its one of the only things we make on this island.

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More uncertainty...

Submitted on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 6:44pm by OldTownRes

For the folks in this neighborhood. I live on White St close to the Armory. We already have the Peary Court redevelopment to worry about, now add the possibility of some different use for the Armory building that might generate lots of car traffic and make our parking situation worse. I don't really have an opinion one way or the other about TSKW, but at least they don't cause much in the way of parking problems. Only for an occasional evening when they have a show.

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I'm With Kendrick On This One...

Submitted on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 4:26pm by hotyi54c

Seems the representatives of Studios of Key West were unimaginative when it came to financing. Relying on a single major income stream from Rodel was foolish. I think it's a great asset to the community but I question their business sense. Why did you spend money on artist cottages rather than work with in-kind sponsors to provide guest rooms? I'm with the landlords on this one...enough is enough.

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ME TOO (with Kendrick on this one)

Submitted on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 8:08am by kwbusinessowner

SELL the cottages, pay your debt...that is what I would have to do....what a luxury in this financially critical time, WE can no longer afford TSKW but each board member could write a check or maybe just one board member could write one check for $23,000.

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As Scooby Doo Would Say:

Submitted on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 4:21pm by hotyi54c

Row Row....

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armory

Submitted on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 10:07am by david

This is a shame. When we look back and see that before Studios the landlords allowed this building to deteriorate and the best use they could come up with was an indoor playground we can appreciate what the hardworking staff and board of TSKW have created here, a vital and important addition to the culture of Key West. TSKW has invested heavily in restoration and preservation of the Armory, something the landlords never managed. The Landlords pay the state a neglible sum for the building and should just step out of the equation. Let Studios lease directly from the State of Florida, the actual owners of the building and stop the profiteering by the Historic Florida Keys Foundation.

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Too good to last

Submitted on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 3:03am by Sunshine daydream

This boondoggle wasn't meant to last long. Top heavy administration. Acquiring an "artists" residence for visiting wannabe poseurs to stay in paradise free, vacuous art shows, arrogant grant supported doodlers, exclusive members only clique, pretentious, and meaningless projects. I'd be happy to see that property turned into a government re-education center. We don't need more art.. We need practical projects.

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Just wait

Submitted on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 8:36pm by got beer?

You will have your government re-education center when KOTS moves into its new location across the street.

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My goodness

Submitted on Fri, 04/13/2012 - 5:59pm by John

What a vacuous comment, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

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Sorry

Submitted on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 5:45am by Sunshine daydream

Sorry That I sounded like a Stalinistic tool about re-education. Although parts of it would make society stronger, we have to program the younger ones to accept it... The studios have a noble goal. I've never even set foot in the building. I just see too much money spent there. There are so many galleries, art shops, music at bars, theater houses, and creative folks doing their art around here that the studios seemed a bit forced to take a beautiful building with charity assistance and put in More art. How bout this? Ill attend a reception there and then write down a more informed evaluation. It would be cute to host a gun show there. Oh wait, the studios HATE conservatives. Just listen to ARTWAVES with Mike Shields. Is that guy the poster child for art-full of itself or what?