From correspondent Virginia Bridges
The Scrap Exchange plans to reopen for business today in a building across the street from its condemned location.
The nonprofit craft store and gallery is temporarily moving from its 548 Foster St. home since 2000 in the Liberty Warehouse to the building at 539 Foster St. Executive director Ann Woodward said. The move is the Scrap’s “right now” solution, Woodward said. The location, which the Scrap can use for up to 30 days, allows the organization to continue to pays its employees and hold scheduled events, such as birthday parties and art workshops, Woodward says.
The move follows the city condemning the 200,000 square foot Liberty Warehouse building after a section of roof fell during a severe thunderstorm Saturday. The building has about 35 tenants, which includes a mix of artists, nonprofits and businesses. The building is also used for storage.
Woodward said The Scrap Exchange plans to continue to hunt for a permanent location.
“We are just not going back,” Woodward said. “We can’t have people come to a condemned building.”
Meanwhile, some of Liberty Warehouse’s tenants plan to blow off some steam at Durham’s Third Friday.
The event, billed as the “Liberty Warehouse Displaced Artist and business owners refuge,” on www.thirdfridaydurham.com, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Foster Street and in the foundry and pavilion at the southern end of the warehouse.
“Seeing how our mothership has been condemned ...we will be gathering in the Liberty Arts pavilion for the sake of gathering,” the event information states.