Copyright by Celeste Evans Griffin 2010 The Professional Report Committee for Celeste Evans Griffin Certifies that this is the approved version of the following professional report: Arts-Based Adaptive Reuse Development in Birmingham, Alabama APPROVED BY SUPERVISING COMMITTEE: Supervisor: Bjorn Sletto Michael Oden Arts-Based Adaptive Reuse Development in Birmingham, Alabama by Celeste Evans Griffin, B.A.Psy. Professional Report Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning The University of Texas at Austin May 2010 Acknowledgements This report would not have been possible without the dedication of my primary advisor, Dr. Bjorn Sletto. His insight and guidance was invaluable throughout my research and writing process. I would also like to thank Dr. Michael Oden, my secondary advisor, who guided me in the economic and theoretical foundation of this report. Lastly, this report would not have come to fruition without my interviewees, Sara Cannon, David Fleming, Karen Cucinotta, Buddy Palmer, and Alan Hunter, who each provided critical insight into the assets, needs and potential of the arts community in Birmingham, Alabama. iv Abstract Arts-Based Adaptive Reuse Development in Birmingham, Alabama Celeste Evans Griffin, MSCRP The University of Texas at Austin, 2010 Supervisor: Bjorn Sletto This report, situated in Birmingham, Alabama, explores the best strategies for implementing arts-based adaptive reuse development in vacant or available downtown buildings. Through adaptive-reuse, a strategy of repurposing old buildings for new uses, the arts sector in Birmingham can be nurtured and strengthened. In this report, I present the major implications associated with the strengthening of the arts community. These implications include economic development, central city revitalization, community building, and gentrification. v Table of Contents List of Tables ....................................................................................................... viii List of Figures........................................................................................................ ix Chapter 1 Introduction and Context........................................................................1 Chapter 2 The Role of the Arts Sector in Urban Development ...............................4 Overview.........................................................................................................4 Defining Arts and Cultural Activity ...............................................................6 Economic Development................................................................................10 Revitalization, Community Development, Quality of Life and Gentrification ..............................................................................................................13 Arts and Cultural Space ................................................................................20 Adaptive Reuse .............................................................................................23 Chapter 3 Introducing Birmingham.......................................................................33 Chapter 4 : Birmingham Arts Sector: Assets and Needs .......................................43 Introduction and Methodology .....................................................................43 Arts and Culture in the Birmingham Economy ............................................46 Arts and Cultural Plans in Birmingham........................................................49 Arts Subsector Needs and Assets .................................................................67 Chapter 5: Recommendation for Arts Sector in Birmingham: Non-Profit Arts Center............................................................................................................72 Chapter 6: Building Assessment and Finance for Arts-Based Development ........77 Introduction, Methodology, and Limitations................................................77 Building Selection.........................................................................................79 Building Finance...........................................................................................88 Arts Subsector Needs and Assets .................................................................67 vi Chapter 7: Conclusions..........................................................................................98 Appendix A Strategies for Increasing Crossover................................................101 Appendix B Arts Organizations, Businesses, or Venues in Birmingham...........103 Appendix C Vacant or Available Buildings in Birmingham, Alabama..............118 Bibliography ........................................................................................................132 Vita .....................................................................................................................135 vii List of Tables Table 1: Arts and cultural sector industry groups and industries......................8 Table 2: Industry employment & location quotient in Birmingham, Alabama .. ...........................................................................................................35 Table 3: Population of Birmingham-Hoover MSA from 1990 to projected 2020...................................................................................................39 Table 4: Racial distribution in the City of Birmingham and Birmingham MSA..................................................................................................39 Table 5: Economic data for the City of Birmingham’s Arts, Entertainment & Recreation Industry...........................................................................47 Table 6: Categorical economic information for Birmingham’s Arts, Entertainment & Recreation Industry ...............................................47 Table 7: 2002 economic activity of the cultural sector in Birmingham..........54 Table 8: Guidelines for square footage requirements in different art spaces..82 Table 9: Affordable rates for different arts spaces..........................................93 Table 10: Criteria for building selection in arts-based adaptive reuse development in Birmingham.............................................................95 Table 11: Potential savings and revenue streams in arts-based adaptive reuse development......................................................................................97 viii List of Figures Figure 1: Images of Lowertown Lofts in Saint Paul, Minnesota .....................27 Figure 2: Northern Warehouse Arts Cooperative in Lowertown of St. Paul, Minnesota..........................................................................................27 Figure 3: Tilsner Artists Cooperative in Lowertown of St. Paul, Minnesota...27 Figure 4: Image of Spinning Plate Artists Loft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ...29 Figure 5: Images of Icehouse Artist Studios in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania .......30 Figure 6: Sloss Furnace Historic and Cultural Center in Birmingham, Alabama ...........................................................................................................31 Figure 7: Image of the Thomas Arts Project in Birmingham, Alabama ..........31 Figure 8: Map of State of Alabama, City of Birmingham & Birmingham-Hoover MSA..................................................................................................37 Figure 9: Population trend for the City of Birmingham from 1880 to 2008 ....38 Figure 10: Projected trend of Birmingham-Hoover MSA population growth ...38 Figure 11: Chart of racial distribution in the City of Birmingham in 2000 .......40 Figure 12: Chart of racial distribution in Birmingham-Hoover MSA in 2000...40 Figure 13: Poverty rates in the city of Birmingham from 2006-2008................41 ix Chapter 1: Introduction and Context In this Professional Report, I explore the possibility of using arts-based adaptive reuse to promote economic development and urban revitalization in Birmingham, Alabama. I have selected Birmingham because it is a prime example of a post-industrial city in economic decline. Due to the major economic shift from industrial production to an information and service-based economy in the 20th century, along with cultural values, technological advances, and racism, Birmingham’s wealth and population distribution changed dramatically during the mid to late 1900s. This population and wealth migration created what now characterizes the urban form of Birmingham: sprawling, wealthy suburbs and a poor and under-utilized city core. The potential for redevelopment in the City of Birmingham proper, therefore, is tied to the city’s wealth of historic, vacant buildings. Revitalization of the Birmingham urban core could provide important improvements in the economy of Birmingham, improve quality of life for Birmingham residents, and further the overall sustainability of the Birmingham area. It is important that redevelopment strategies promote economic development, utilize existing vacant buildings, fulfill particular community needs, strengthen community fabric, and spawn additional revitalization efforts. Numerous articles and case studies demonstrate that this type of redevelopment can be accomplished through support and development of the arts and cultural sector. 1 In order to determine ways to develop the arts community in Birmingham, this PR