High-Amenity Apartments Built For Artists

Would you like to live in a spacious, high-end, low-cost apartment in the heart of Downtown El Paso?

You might be able to, if you’re an artist.

The 5-story old El Paso Saddle Blanket building will be turned into about 50 to 70 apartments for artists, according to El Paso Community Foundation president, Eric Pearson.

The city of El Paso, El Paso Community Foundation, and the Minneapolis-based non-profit, Art-Space Projects, joined forces to help artists liven up the downtown community.

Pearson said the apartments will be specifically designed for musicians, visual artists, sculptors, poets and writers.

“(Residents) have to have demonstrated passion for art,” said Pearson. “We are not saying the art has to be good, they just have to show a history of a commitment to making art.”

Pearson told ABC7 that the apartments will have plenty of space so artists can work on perfecting their craft.

“The idea is they have to be decent renters,” said Pearson. “They have to make 60 percent of area medium income. Which, for a single person, is about 18,000, for a couple or a family it’s up to 35,000 a year. These are high amenity apartments, and it’s rent controlled by the housing and urban development.”

According to Pearson, the apartments will be ready sometime in 2014, and artists who are interested need to show proof they make art this for a living.

Artists can apply at: artspaceelpaso.org