City extends Torpedo Factory artist leases for a year while a new governing entity is pursued

At the town hall, residents asked about the Torpedo Factory’s mix of studios, event spaces and offices and whether a new governing entity would change studio rules or hours.

Vice Mayor Bagley said the city has “remained consistent in the number of studios through our jurying process over the last 3 years” and that the city has extended current artists’ leases by one year to avoid changing studio composition while a new governing entity is chosen. “Nobody's lease ends this year. The earliest anybody's lease will end is next September 2026,” she said.

Bagley added that staff are working to address concerns about artists’ on‑site hours and neighborhood expectations. Staff are exploring options such as check‑in systems or fob access; the vice mayor said the city will not wait for the new governing entity to take some steps and that staff are working on enforcement and operational improvements now.

Ending: Artists and residents were told the jurying process and lease extensions preserve the current studio mix while staff and the future governing entity develop operational policies and enforcement mechanisms.