Christian Van Luven

Dear Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Dean of CVPA and Director of CMAC,

This letter is in regards to recent news on the possible end of the Warehouse Gallery and the cancellation of their upcoming exhibit. Speaking as a concerned member of the community and a small business owner in downtown, I feel this is a grave mistake. From the first exhibit that I went to, Networked Nature, I could sense the potential this Gallery had and the difference it could make on the city. Much of this energy I credit to the curator Astria Suparak. Whether it’s communicating future events or networking like minded talents from here and other major cities, she’s the reason so many of us know about the Warehouse. Being in Syracuse for 3 years with this business I’ve learned that things take time to catch on. You don’t have the luxury of having lots of “walking traffic” like most major cities. What you have are people who drive out to maybe hit a restaurant or shop and stumble across something they never knew was there. It’s these unique shops and Gallery’s that bring people back to the city and change the scope of downtown. It’s what will get people to live downtown. The thought of future collaborations with roji tea lounge and the Warehouse Gallery was something Astria and I talked about. Many customers at Roji share the same interests and goal as Astria and the Warehouse Gallery. That is being a part of something that’s not easily categorized. It’s what gives a city its character and is something I think you should take into consideration before you make this decision. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,


Christian Van Luven

roji tea lounge
108 E Washington St, Syracuse , NY 13202
t.315 428 0844
www.Roji-TeaLounge.com