[iguy]

If they accepted slightly below market rent, they could have the pick of NYU's writing instructors, or sabbatical visitors, or whatever. That is, don't rent them on the open market, but hook up with one of the many institutes with a long list of underpaid people well-vetted for reverence of books.

[nullc]

> If they accepted slightly below market rent, they could have the pick of NYU's writing instructors,

It doesn't even have to be below market rate: They could pair it up with a grant program where someone else is picking up the market rate rent (or the difference between market rate and what would make it attractive for scholars) for the "in residence" person.

[ceejayoz]

Yep - set up a scholar/artist/author-in-residence program.