A landmark building in Easthampton was turned over to new owners on Tuesday. Many people are hoping the new owners will add dimension to downtown Easthampton.

It took only a few minutes for the former Easthampton Dye Works Mill to be sold off at auction Tuesday morning. For just more than $200,000, the Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton got a new home. "I am little bit in shock. We've been for the last 4 years, looking for a permanent home," said David Fried Oppenheim of the Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, PACE.

The non-profit arts organizations plans to house studio and performance space for dance, music, and stage. PACE hopes to cover the cost of the purchase by renting some of the 125,000 square foot mill for studio space. "We are looking to use about 25,000 feet for PACE. The rest of the space we are looking to rent out in order to cover on-going costs of maintaining the space and our organization," said Oppenheim.

But PACE got more than a building in the deal. It also must pay more than $330,000 in back taxes. In 2005 developers bought the Dye Works with hopes of converting into a condo complex for older gay and lesbian residents. But things turned sour when one of the developers didn't pay outstanding taxes and was foreclosed on.

With a capital campaign and support from the community, neighbors like Deb Thomas, who owns the adjacent building, hope the mill will become an art mecca. "It will promote the arts in the valley and in Easthampton," said Thomas.

"We hope to be the home to many productions from various groups from throughout the valley," said Oppenheim. The new owners plan to generate some of their own power using the mill's hydro-electric plant and new solar panels. They hope to have some of the space open to the public by the end of this year.