Last month, new residents filled the last open apartment building at Siler Yard. This city’s first net zero multi-family project, consisting of 65 units, now provides affordable housing to 144 residents, 41 of whom are children.
Catalyzed in 2012 by Creative Santa Fe, Siler Yard Arts + Creativity Center promised to be a model affordable live/work development. More than 30 multidisciplinary creatives were invited to collaborate with the architecture team to develop guidelines and evaluate the design along the way. The resulting live/work units accommodate makers of all stripes.
Residents like Cia Thorne, Danielle Reddick, and Rich Perea share their stories about how affordable rent, central location, and collaborative spirit at Siler Yard have supported their creative pursuits and have given them opportunities and space to give back to the community.
Glass sculptor and Santa Fe native Cia Thorne was among the first creatives to move into Siler Yard, and has welcomed subsequent residents ever since. After three decades working and living in Colorado, California, and Albuquerque, Cia remarks, “Of all the places I have lived and worked, I am happiest creating my artwork here. The glass community in Santa Fe is the most supportive; we are always looking out for one another and sharing our knowledge.” In return, Cia supports other creatives. Cia teaches glassblowing workshops at Liquid Light Glass. They also teach various classes—including welding and plasma cutting—at MAKE Santa Fe. Currently, Cia is exploring bronze casting and has brought their own casting equipment to the outdoor area at MAKE Santa Fe, giving other creatives access to these tools. Siler Yard’s central location makes it easy for Cia to contribute to these endeavors and take their art in a new direction.
The central location of Siler Yard is also a blessing for Danielle Reddick, a playwright, performer, and puppeteer who performs at many venues, including Meow Wolf, which is within walking distance from her new home. Danielle came to Santa Fe in 1999. After being injured while touring with the Broadway production of STOMP, Danielle found Santa Fe to be not only the perfect place to heal but also to discover and grow. She became a fitness instructor and hypnotherapist and received her MFA from Goddard College. Danielle now serves on the board of Theater Santa Fe and is one of the organizers of Theater Walk, which held its most recent production at the Santa Fe Outlet Mall in May. She will be sharing more about her new work on July 13 at PechaKucha Night Santa Fe VOL. 14 — MULTIPLICITY.
Affordable rent gives another Santa Fe native, Rich Perea, the courage to pursue creative entrepreneurship. In the process of launching his business, the Santa Fe Biscochito Company, he has forged partnerships with other local businesses and artisans who have all helped him bring his solar-powered food cart to life. The Santa Fe Biscochito Company is adding vibrancy to our downtown, as well as local events. Learn more about Rich’s journey in this month’s Creative Highlight.
This month, MAKE Santa Fe opened its doors to all Siler Yard residents, providing access through a sliding scale membership model. Equipped with fabrication workshops and tools, residents are invited to leverage the latest technology and mentorship to expand their creativity.
Thank you to all the generous donors who helped us bring this vision to fruition. Thank you to the design team—Atkin Olshin Schade (AOS) Architects, Trey Jordan Architecture, da Silva Architecture, and Surrounding Studio—for their inspiring and thoughtful plan. Thank you to the City of Santa Fe for donating the land and additional resources to Siler Yard. Our deepest gratitude to New Mexico Inter-Faith Housing which oversaw the completion of construction and obtained the bulk of the funding from US HUD to complete this project. Finally, a big thank you to the National Endowment for the Arts for investing in Santa Fe through the “Our Town” planning grant.
SAVE THE DATE:
To tour Siler Yard and meet residents, please join us at the Siler Yard Summer Shindig, a community celebration and dedication for the Siler Yard project, on July 16, 2022, from 3–6 PM. View more details about Siler Yard Summer Shindig here.
