Culture

New York Artspace to Become City's First "Green" Cultural Venue

by kate | June 12, 2007 at 11:55 am

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The always amazing Galapagos Artspace will be moving from its location in Williamsburg to a new forward-looking ecologically designed space in Dumbo.

Galapagos has undergone tumultuous times in recent years, first being faced with eviction when its rent was increased by $10,000 a month in 2005, and now by another 30% increase which forces them to move from the space they've inhabited since 1995.

The art space, which houses experimental performance, screenings, and events, looks to be making the best of their forced choice to skip W'burg by making the jump to Dumbo in serious style. The new facility will be the city's first LEED certified performing arts venue. With all that dance and experimental burlesque going on, I think they could get a long way toward keeping the lights on using kinetic energy alone...

Galapagos Art Space plans to create New York City’s first LEED certified ‘green’ cultural venue.

At 16 Main, Galapagos Art Space will install a geothermal radiant heating and cooling system, a green sidewalk that lets water pass through to the soil below delaying its path to the city’s storm sewer system, catch and reprocess rainwater for the heating and cooling of the building, plant (flowering) trees, and install a green roof on top of 16 Main. The venue will be powered with electricity sourced from upstate wind and run-of-the-river hydro sources.

The result will be an efficient, responsible, low-carbon impact performing arts venue.