There are some interesting stories in this write-up. I lived in the former Bell Labs headquarters in Manhattan (Greenwich Village) that the author referenced f

There are some interesting stories in this write-up. I lived in the former Bell Labs headquarters in Manhattan (Greenwich Village) that the author referenced for about a year and a half (until early '08). Since about 1970 the building has been used as subsidized housing (work/live loft space) for "artists." The residents rarely move out because they pay mere hundreds of dollars per month for huge loft spaces that would otherwise rent for many thousands. Since they were picky about who they selected to live there initially, (they chose "artists" with established careers, most of whom were 30+ in 1970) today it has the vibe of a really eccentric retirement community. I'm not sure what the people (private philanthropists and NEA bureaucrats working together) thought would become of the community they funded/founded, but I doubt its present state is what they envisioned. I'm grateful for the ultra-cheap sublet opportunity I had nonetheless.