Vacant building Is Cool Venue Hosting Art Prize Entries

Art Prize is rolling.  Thousand of people are checking out art entries around the city with most of the places hosting ArtPrize being businesses.

But a long vacant building at 2 East Fulton is now open just to show ArtPrize entries.

"When I saw this building I fell in love with it," says Paul Amenta of the non profit group, SiteLab.

WZZM TV13 reported Locus Development, the new owner of 2 East Fulton, isn't planning to start renovation work until next year.  That's why they agreed to let Paul Amenta and SiteLab artists move in and install some big ArtPrize pieces.

"It allows for artists to put together much larger exhibits," says John Green of Locus Development. "It's such a great fit for the building."

There are nine ArtPrize entries in 2 East Fulton.  One of them is built by Austrian Alois Kronschlaeger.  She used hundreds of two foot by two foot boards to build a tower up the elevator shaft and 18 feet through the roof.

"They asked if they could tear off the roof," recalls Green. "Once we had a chance to understand what they wanted to accomplish and they promised to restore it back to its original condition, we agreed."

Locus Development is giving the artists use of the building until the end of the year.

"It is very exciting to see thousands of people come through this building," says Green. "A lot are curious. They want to come through, not just for the art, they want to see the building. In an odd way the building is serving as art."

This is the first time the public has been in 2 East Fulton since the building closed in 1998. Locus Development is planning to start renovations early next year.