"Created in the 1960s [on the western edge of Greenwich Village], Westbeth brought together icons such as Diane Arbus, Robert De Niro Sr. and Benny Andrews. Merce Cunningham headquartered his dance company in a cavernous space in the building in 1971. Once verified as a working artist - meaning a person derived a significant portion of his or her income from the production and sale of their work - residents were admitted by disciplinary committees ranging from music and performance to visual arts and writing. Rent was determined by income. But what was meant to be a short-term solution for looking to build their careers quickly became a stronghold for artists as the city's real estate prices rose" - and many of those early residents have never left.
Article source here:Arts Journal
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