Finalists Named For Rent-Free New Rochelle Apartment

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Three finalists have been named in the contest for one year of rent-free luxury living in New Rochelle's growing downtown. Beginning Wednesday, the public will have the opportunity to choose the grand-prize winner by voting online.

The contest is a partnership between the City of New Rochelle and RXR Realty. It will award one artist 12 months of rent-free living in a studio apartment in RXR's 360 Huguenot, a 28-story, 280-unit mixed-use building slated for occupancy in July 2019.

The three finalists performing artist Kyra Johnson, music producer and performer Brendan Guzman and photographer Daniel Martinez.

Voting will close July 10. Find out more about the artists and vote for your favorite by visiting this website.

More than 100 artists submitted videos detailing why they think New Rochelle is the ideal creative place to live. Entries were received from a wide array of artists from across the country, including musicians, actors, chefs, makeup artists, sculptors, dancers, martial artists, ceramicists, rappers and even an opera singer, according to organizers.

A selection committee identified 10 artists as semifinalists in early June, and an evaluation committee further narrowed down the contestants to the final three.

New Rochelle's Commissioner of Development Luiz Aragon said the sheer volume of submissions was a testament to the transformation the downtown area of the city is undergoing.

"When we created the contest as a unique initiative to highlight the creative community as a key demographic of the city's makeup, we did not remotely anticipate the response that has resulted," he said.

The winner will be announced July 10 and will be able to move into the 360 Huguenot unit in early September.

The building will include a 10,000-square-foot black box theater for film, theater, dance, music and art programs.

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