Would you be interested in creating a co-working space in Fayetteville? | OU Poll
Polls — By Christopher Spencer on October 29, 2009 at 3:36 amWould you be interested in establishing a co-working space in Fayetteville?
- Sure. My living room is no longer big enough for my business plans. (50%, 27 Votes)
- Not sure yet, but let me see the results. (28%, 15 Votes)
- Nope. I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel. (22%, 12 Votes)
Total Voters: 54
Loading ...Might sound a little odd, but the idea of creative entrepreneurs pooling resources for office space has gained serious traction in other parts of the country. Check out San Francisco’s The Hat Factory and Birmingham, Ala.’s Shift Workspace to see what we are talking about.
Two weeks ago, I met with others interested in this possibility. We formed an exploratory committee and I took the task of judging the pulse of folks to create a nonprofit around finding space like this in downtown Fayetteville.
Please comment here if you have an opinion about it.
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19 Comments
I am very interested in this as long as it’s downtown, has a very high-speed connection, I get a key to work late hours, and it has good lighting for recording video.
New media newsroom? Here we come.
We’re on the same page. The little discussion that has happened included 24/7 access, maybe keypad security, a flexible big room and a smaller conference area. Wi-fi and fax would be included, but things like a dedicated phone line might cost extra above the typically monthly rent which would be below $200 if at all possible.
All the financials would be run through the nonprofit organization.
And yes, for me I do have a vision of a new media newsroom, though creative entrepreneurs of all sorts would welcome to find a space to work there.
Well, I couldn’t care less about fax, and there’s no need for a phone line if I’ve got the Internet connection and good cell reception inside.
I think you’re right on track inviting all creative types. A newsroom can’t function these days without go-to designers and video producers.
There are a lot of us that work late down here….Archetype Productions, Scribe Marketing, ddp gallery, Fayetteville Underground artists….join us Downtown! Check with John Bradberry, he may have some space.
I’d be down with that for freelancing purposes. And it’s just in time for my move back to Fayetteville!
Sounds like an awesome idea. A friend of mine started one in New York called the Beehive. (It’s been a huge success)
Thanks ddp. That’s actually the area we talked about first as a great location for the co-working space. Lots of room, affordable space that is walking distance to everything. It would be great.
Sounds great Tracy. We’ve got some distance to go as far as pricing structures and contracts, but I think we’re looking at long-term rentals, month to month access and even a day-use fee.
I’d be interested in learning more about the Beehive, Wes. Do you think your friend would mind if we contacted him?
I’ve heard and seen this concept in action. Very good stuff. Tacit knowledge transfer and sense of community. All for it!
We don’t have the ultimate solution yet, but we do have a cool space in the Mill Building with three office (two, one person and one, two person) that has a conference room, kitchen, lounge area, and shared admin space. The offices could be time-shared to bring down the individual monthly cost, and I’m certainly willing to talk and work out some details. Again, this is not the ultimate formation of the non-profit, etc. We are simply interested in sharing space and sometimes ideas with cool people:)
I do like the Mill Building and there really is ample space there and parking. I really invite you to attend the next time we meet and start hammering out the details on this co-working space idea.
Two of the people who attended the first meeting are doing site surveying right now. We’d not included the Mill Building originally, but it’s very much worth looking into and totally within the downtown footprint.
The tentative date for the next discussion meeting is 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12 at Smiling Jack’s near Dickson.
Great:) I will plan to be there. If anything changes or need to get in touch with me in the meantime, I think you have my email. Thanks! a
found this today:
http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2009/08/20/rip-workspace-the-hard-discussion/
when it rains, it pours
i apologize for the multiple posts, but here’s a great idea:
http://carolinecollective.cc/
DDP’s links took me to this link, which could surely be useful to you too, Chris: http://groups.google.com/group/coworking …The coworking google group.
I too may be interested.
Some folks tried it in Argenta (Downtown NLR) a few years back, I think it was called “The Hive”. I don’t know how it worked out or if it is still in existence though.
@ddp = Great links. I really dig the realism of the first essay. Sometimes they fail and you need to know going in why that happened elsewhere.
I’d like to think that organizing a co-working space and administering it through a non-profit with open books is going to help that situation.
I wouldn’t want to enter into a contract for space until there was cash in hand, in the nonprofit’s bank account, to pay for everything upfront. Donations of coffee pots, old sofas, old chairs and desks from local schools or the university, a donated mural …
It can be tasteful and cheap to get a space up and running. Someone even mentioned making some display space for whatever work members want to show off. I’d feel comfortable with six months worth of rent on a space.
Those who participate will be able to get a good feel for it by then. I think those in the conversation so far want shares of no more than $200 a month
I bookmarked article and the second Web site. I like the Caroline model with the tiered-pricing and the fact that a $10 day fee means all the coffee you want and wi-fi. Folks can then figure out if they are into a longer lease, or not.
This might be a little controversial but at some point I also see a subcommittee made up of members that makes decisions about new applicants for longer-term space. I’d want some clear policies in place to guide those votes because I wouldn’t want them to appear arbitrary, but open enough that the very subjective “will they fit into the overall atmosphere” can also be addressed.
@Johnathan – Just joined that group. Looks like an excellent resource to see what the conversation is nationally.
@Zac – I hope you can make that meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12 at Smiling Jack’s. Getting everyone’s concerns voiced is pretty important.
Is there any way the rest of us who are interested can contribute in the meantime, or should we just hold tight?
Matthew, I’d say any models you can bring from national examples, specific needs you would have as a renter and any information on available commercial space would be invaluable.
One idea I really like from the examples I’ve seen is the option to pay more rent for a dedicated or even a private space. Different tiers of membership seems very appealing.