Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. What is PLACE?

 

PLACE,® (Projects Linking Art, Community & Environment), is a nonprofit organization—a “Make Tank”— that works with cities in the US and UK to create leading-edge communities that promote the arts, environmentalism and social justice. Through a community-driven, ethically-focused process, PLACE develops new and experimental models for urban neighborhoods that demonstrate radical innovation in environmental design, live/work development for artists and creative businesses, affordable workforce housing, and supportive housing for the most economically distressed. Our vision is to change the way all communities are made.

 

PLACE communities seek to dramatically improve the way we live, work, play, commute, create, and connect, as well as the way we impact our cities and our Earth. The PLACE team brings experience and passion to the planning, designing, funding, building and stewardship of its projects. PLACE was founded by Chris Velasco in 2005.

 

2. What is the PLACE mission?

 

The mission of PLACE is to build sustainable communities for cities.

 

3. What does PLACE build?

 

PLACE hires architects, engineers, artists and builders to create:

 

- Sustainable communities or eco-villages
- Artists live/work space
- Green theaters, galleries and cultural facilities
- Alternative energy
- Cultural tourism destinations
- Inspiring places to live, work, create and interrelate

 

4. What does PLACE do?

 

The PLACE team assists in every aspect of the project; the planning, designing, funding, building and operating, everything necessary to realize the community’s vision. PLACE involves representatives from the community in each phase of the effort, ensuring that the project is responsive to the needs of the community. Finally, PLACE takes responsibility for the long-term care of the project to ensure that it continues to meet the goals of the community.

5. What would be a good example of a PLACE project?

 

PLACE’s Ventura, California project known as WAV (Working Artists Ventura), is a mixed-use, mixed-income community that provides eighty-two spaces, specially designed for artists and their families to live and work, affordable housing to very-low and no-income families in transition, and commercial space for galleries, restaurants and coffee houses.

6. Who hires PLACE?

 

PLACE is usually contacted by city governments, foundations, universities and other cultural and nonprofit organizations.

7. How is PLACE funded?

 

PLACE is a 501(c)3, publicly-supported charity, which means that donations made to the organization are tax deductible. In addition to private donations and grants from foundations and corporations, PLACE also receives additional funding from local state and federal governmental entities. PLACE also collects fees from the development and operation of its projects.

8. How are PLACE projects funded?

 

PLACE takes the responsibility to put together all of the necessary monies to fund the project. The community provides the seed money to PLACE in order to pay our costs while we put together the total project financing. While every project is different, PLACE combines resources from every imaginable source to make the project possible. The following are resources commonly employed in the creation of these types of places.

 

- Community Development Funds
- Economic Development Funds
- Affordable Housing Monies
- Small Business Development Funds
- Alternative Energy Resources
- Job Creation Resources
- Tourism Funds
- Educational Funds
- Sustainable Design Funds
- Health care funds
- Poverty and homelessness alleviation
- Arts/Cultural Resources