AllInOne Collective
January 14, 2022/ Photo: Courtesy of Mary Kang
Throughout the decades, 70 Lefferts Place in Clinton Hill has had a multitude of tenants — from philanthropists to International Peace Mission Movement members to individuals involved in an infamous illegal hostel operation.
Today the two-and-a-half story Brooklyn villa houses AllInOneCollective — an affordable living space for artists and activists to cultivate their crafts and collaborate with one another. Created in 2020, the space was inspired by predecessor urban artist collectives, the likes of which are hard to come by today as NYC housing costs continue to climb.
“The creation of AllInOneCollective was inspired by a desire to create affordable spaces for artists, musicians, and creatives in response to the rising cost of living in NYC,” explained environmental scientist Miles Bolton, who co-founded the space with artist Audrey Banks, social worker Ameya Biradavolu, and actor Owen Campbell. “It grew from the organic environment that was created when me and Audrey started organizing events together. The strongest element of our events was the collaborative networking dynamic created by event attendees, the community fostered from these events forms the foundation of what became the AllInOneCollective.”
Banks first learned about the property after one of its co-owners contacted the Bushwick realty company she was working for. She visited the 22-room residence and became enchanted with its communal air and well-established quirk. Eager to turn the space into something spectacular, she and the other co-founders drew up a business plan and conceived the affordable collective.
AllInOne first started accepting residents via word-of-mouth, but now fields applications for rooms on its website and Instagram.
“Usually after initial contact we ask to see their portfolio to figure out how prospective residents fit into the collective,” said Bolton.
And despite its beginnings amid the turbulent COVID-19 pandemic, the collective has already accepted over 10 tenants, with disciplines ranging from graphic design to fashion to teaching.
The burgeoning group has also connected with community partners to host classes, meals, and events out of the big yellow building. Though it has had to be cautious with its event planning through the pandemic, its residents are continuing to create art, ideas, and programming — many of which benefit the neighborhood.
More about AllInOneCollective, including how to apply to open rooms, can be found here.
