Paul Solomon & LinearCity - Screwing an artist for a few dollars more…

After a money hungry developer turned my last AIR (Artist in Residence) studio at 2121 7th Pl. into a condo for Yuppies, and rudely through all the actual artists out, without compensation or conscience I may ad, (story here:)

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2006/05/156712.php 

I moved just a few blocks away to 808 1/2 E. 3rd St. .   A long time AIR loft now owned by Paul Solomon and his company LinearCity.   Would you believe that lightning has struck me two times in a row?!

Despite being very clear to LinearCity’s agent and Paul Solomon personally that I was looking for a long term live/work space, as well as fully explaining the costly situation I had just come from at 2121, Paul Solomon and LinearCity are now contemplating turning my particular Studio into a retail store, and yes, throwing me out just 18 months after I moved in here!  I am just devastated even thinking that I actually may get screwed by another Arts District landlord for the second time in two years!  This particular studio has been an Artist in Residence loft in the heart of the Arts District for over 20 years.  And a photography studio for a good part of that!  I think it is unconscionable that Paul Solomon is even thinking about this after letting me move in here.  I could not have been clearer to him and LinearCity’s agent what could and especially what could not happen if I moved in here, especially after just going through the forced eviction at 2121.  I literally said to Paul Solomon personally: “If you are going to turn this place into a condo or throw me out after the first lease, tell me now, because this is not the right place for me.”  Considering they called me back and then handed me a lease, I now feel I have been blatantly lied to, betrayed and defrauded by Paul Solomon and his management company LinearCity.  They have refused to renew my lease and forced me into a month to month situation at my protest.  I never ever would have even considered moving in here if they had been honest with me from the start or even given me a hint that they were thinking about doing this.

It seems the artist in the arts district are fighting a loosing battle with self serving landlords like this that seem to have no conscience or ethics.  Their wallets are the bottom line and the only thing that seem to matter to them.  I’m just a struggling artist but I’m paying more rent for this studio already than I have ever paid anywhere in my life.   And despite making millions on the Mill Street Lofts, the Biscuit Lofts and Toy Factory Lofts, it’s apparently not enough for Paul Solomon who apparently needs to make a few dollars more a month from my particular unit, while pushing me into personal and financial turmoil with a second forced eviction in the same amount of years.  I think this is unconscionable and I can’t believe this is actually being done to me again.  What makes it even worse is Paul Solomon’s blatent complacentcy and his apparent lack of any conscience about what this will do to my business or me personally.  Especially knowing I was looking for long term and that I was just forced out of my last loft for the condo conversion before moving in here!

What is even more perplexing is the fact that this loft would need tons of work if it were to be any kind of a retail store and it comes with absolutely no parking!  I have no idea what they are thinking.  

 My last eviction inspired the no yuppies logo…

Well, I was inspired to do another graphic and have gotten permission to do it as a mural down the block from me on 3rd Street. 

I would never have put myself in a position to be thrown out on a 30 day notice!  I had so much planned this year that the last move put off once already.  And again, I was very clear to Paul Solomon personally what could and could not happen if I moved in here.  He and the LinearCity agent absolutely lead me to believe that I should feel comfortable moving in here.  But for the second time in two years, a landlord in the arts district is putting their wallets before the artists.   I moved back downtown to start a new business and have literally been screwed by one, now maybe two landlords in a row.  This is my life they are fucking with!  Myself and all the artists down here for that matter are not god damn Monopoly pieces to be shuffeled around by landlords and developers who just want to make a few dollars more! 

Although I hope I did not ramble here, I could probably say much more! 

David Goldner