hacks:quest_for_space_2015
Quest for Space III: The great migration 2016
What?
The model
We are looking for a new home for the hackerspace. We are currently spending $XXXX on rent, with our current membership we can afford up to $5000 comfortably, or $6000 with a few more members or with fundraising.
Fundraising ideas may include:
- Hacker Auction (AKA Mad scientist yard sale)
- Hacker Craft Fair (AKA MakerFair)
- Classes
- Kit Sales
Requirements
We currently require the following out of our hackerspace:
- +4000 sq ft (the more square footage, the better)
- 24 Hour Access
- M2 or I2 zoning
- Ability to control access to the space
- Bathroom
- Close proximity to public transit, especially skytrain
- Ability to get large items into the space (laser cutter, milling machines, lathes, etc)
- Ventilation (laser cutter fumes)
Nice to have:
- Three Phase Power
- Emergency Safety Shower
- Rooftop Access (for HAM, and other Radio/Wireless experiments)
- Lounge
- Bay door, for large projects.
- 16" or larger ceilings for big projects
- Power, 30+ people with laptops == about ~30 Amp. Preferably across 3 breakers or more.
- Room for a single long table, 42' x 8'. - One thing that I think is essential for VHS "culture" is the single long table. I love being in a long row of other people working on different projects and I think that should be included in what ever space we end up at.
Locations
These current areas are where we are looking:
- East Vancouver (Strathcona, Hastings-Sunrise, Grandview Woodlands, Mt. Plesant)
We currently would prefer to not go to these places:
- Surrey
- Burnaby
- South Vancouver
Things to ask the landlord
- How much is the rent? Does that include heating and hydro?
- Is there a lease? Is it a triple-net lease ? (Most Commercial and Industrial in BC are, but please check)
- Can we customize the access?
- Is it possible to get 24 Hour Access to the space?
- Who were the prior tenants? (Important for BC Hydro, we will be billed based on the last tenants)
- Who else has looked at the space?
- Ask about the neighbours? Which businesses/residents are nearby, and what do they do. A good design pattern is to have good neighbors
- Ask about parking. A lot of VHS members are transit dependent, but a fair number do drive. It's important to have parking where people's windshields won't get smashed in.
- Ventilation, windows?
When we find a place
- We'll likely convene a new-space-upgrades-and-moving committee.
https://talk.vanhack.ca/t/quest-for-the-space-ii-the-bunker-buster/ https://talk.vanhack.ca/t/other-move-related-preparation/
Places we looked
See spreadsheet: todo
How the process works
For those new to VHS since we have been at 45 west, here's how our process goes:
- Some VHS members decide to take action to help find a new space
- Those VHS members look for spaces, then go meet the manager and preview it. They ask questions from the wiki page [1] to cover the basics. They take video and pictures of the space. They email all the details in a new thread to vhs-members.
- The group talks about it, more members go check it out.
- If we have one or more strong candidate spaces, we hold a General Meeting to get together in person to find consensus.
- Logistics planning, high fives.
URLS
hacks/quest_for_space_2015.txt · Last modified: 2016/09/20 05:30 by tyisi