[Vanhackspace] WE FOUND A POSSIBLE SPACE

[Joe Bowser]

On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 11:03 PM, Luke Closs <lukecloss at gmail.com> wrote:

> Cool, thanks for checking it out.
>
> IIRC when we talked about our budget last time, we ass-u-med that a new
> place would need to be sublet-able to cover rent costs (eg: subletting to
> individuals in our group for office space).  Will this space suit that goal?
>

Yes!  The requirements that I looked at was the ability to customize the
space.  We will be renovating the space to allow for anywhere from two to
four offices.  We will have to draw a floor plan, because I want to see the
ability of having some chill/living space and a server room.  I want to keep
a large space near the loading bay doors for the main meeting area, since
that will be the primary enterance.  (I don't want to deal with the other
neighbours when it comes to modifying the Commercial Drive doors).


> Also, could you run down how this space fits the hackerspace patterns?  How
> many patterns fit now?  later?
>

Now:
  - Unknown Landlord and Neighbourhood fit (Current Tenant says that they're
cool, just can't have a Punk Show here!)

Later (after renovations):
 - Smaller rooms for Servers, Chill Area, Small Kitchen (Separee Pattern,
Kitchen Pattern)
 - Shower (maybe, depends on how things go after 6 months) (Shower Pattern)

The patterns deal with the nuts and bolts on how we operate.  This 2000 sq
ft are is almost entirely a blank slate that we can pretty much do whatever
we want with.  We can throw up walls, and come up with a floor plan.  We can
also clean the bathroom and install a shower.  It's a fixer-upper, but at
the same time, it's highly customizable in comparison to other spaces, and
it's OURS.  Other spaces would be shared with other groups, and I would
prefer to have our own space.


>
> Also, being as I personally believe the bottom is about to fall out of the
> economy, i'm hesitant to get into a 1 year lease - i think rent is going to
> start dropping in the spring...


I think that the location is important for our success, based on my
experience at Spartacus and with the current space.  I don't think that it
will drop as dramatically around the Skytrain line or around Commercial
Drive for Commerical/Industrial, and $1395 for 2000 sq ft zoned C1C2 on
Commercial Drive is next to impossible to get when the average space is
$2000 or greater for half the square footage.  I seriously think that this
will be a good deal, even in this economy.  We may get a cheaper space, but
it may suck to get at for people who don't have cars.

I'm thinking that we should figure out how to finance Feburary and March
rent, then after that have the subleases start.  We will have to do a lot of
renovation, and I wouldn't be comfortable charging rent for that period of
time.  We need to meet the landlord and the neighbours to confirm the
pattern, and see if everything works out, but we need to start the pattern
to do that.  I seriously think that getting this space is a good idea for us
for the next six months.  If it sucks, then we can get out at the end of
August and find somewhere else.  By that time, if you're right, prices would
have plummeted, but I don't think they'll drop this low.

This is a sweet deal and we should start the process.  Even if we don't get
this space in particular, we will be ready to pounce on the next deal that
comes along.

Joe
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.uselessdegree.net/private.cgi/vanhackspace-uselessdegree.net/attachments/20090115/0bb10776/attachment.htm>