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Watch “The Candy Factory.”
The New Yorker Documentary
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Approximately forty years ago, Ann Ballentine, a real estate agent with a unique sense of fashion and a talent for nurturing community, acquired a building in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn. “I was first standing over here when I said, ‘I love this,’” she remarks, pointing to a specific area in her apartment, a space adorned with stained glass, potted plants, and rugs in vibrant colors. In the ensuing years, she leased the units in the building to artists from various disciplines. Within the Candy Factory, as the structure is still referred to, painters, sculptors, musicians, industrial designers, and filmmakers collaborate side by side, united by artistic camaraderie and personal connections. The community within the residence has fostered numerous partnerships, including a romantic relationship and an organ donation. What’s even more astonishing, to anyone who has sought studio space—or rental security of any sort in New York City—is that these artists have managed to remain there for such an extended period. Some have occupied their studios for decades. That level of stability is an extraordinary luxury, approaching the miraculous, and it stems from Ballentine’s philosophy as the owner; she opted not to sell it to developers for a substantial profit or to exploit her artist tenants by raising rents excessively. “The whole building is like her artwork,” states one tenant. Technically, Ballentine is the owner, but “landlady” doesn’t quite capture her role, another artist observes. Perhaps “fairy godmother” or “benevolent mayor” would be more fitting.
Sourse: newyorker.com