Update August 2, 2014

[Scott Vader]

Hi All

We had a good meeting at FIKA yesterday. My brain filtered notes, please add or correct anything that I've missed:

• Both the idea of making a MakerSpace network across Buffalo and building one central MakerSpace are equally compelling and not mutually exclusive - let's just call the combined idea MakerSpace Buffalo.
• Kevin thought his conference call with Troy Tech Valley Center of Gravity CEO Laban Coblentz would be in September
• Sarah suggests we see the Troy Center of Gravity, Kevin suggested two places in Pittsburgh that I should have written down. Kevin is going to make some action suggestions.
• Pat Roche recommended adding ECC as a possible maker resource, ex CNC Milling machines and metal lathes
• Alex suggested that a mobile makerspace truck would be a great way to do outreach to schools and local communities for STEAM  (Alex is involved with the central Buffalo Library's initiative to add maker stuff to their program)
• Megan recommended a discussion of fund raising to support MakerSpace Buffalo. (Note Megan's woodworking shop, Rusted Grain is no longer doing commercial work and could be a part of MakerSpace Buffalo)
• I suggested we should make a kind of fantasy baseball business model for MakerSpace Buffalo - I'll sketch one out.
• Megan suggests we should think about how to give MakerSpace Buffalo a unique Buffalo flavor
• Alex suggests we setup Google drive for our group - That's done.
• Pat Whelan mentioned he toured one of the newest Tech Shops in Chandler, AZ. Arizona State University put in $1M, $3M came from investors. You've got to sell a lot of memberships to cover expenses and a $4M investment but it's definitely worldclass.
• I said Artisan's Ayslum was for profit, and slightly profitable. The first part is incorrect, they are a non-profit, the second part is correct, they are profitable. If you like numbers, their profit and loss statement ending June 30, 2014 is interesting reading.

A little housekeeping, I've added categories to this google group to help us keep the topics organized. Pat and Kevin, I think you'll have to edit your posts to put them into categories, upper left corner.

Our google doc's folder is here, if you want to share a document with the group just upload it to the folder: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByHl5gxPxiYCV0h4bldiZFlzTDA

I've created a draft spreadsheet that shows, to begin with, what I think are the worldclass makerspace features against the existing Buffalo maker resources. Needs lots of work yet, please add to it, change it, comment on it in any way that you want:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rR5yRiP9gtBUiG-brGHBWpGic-S87JgS88oUNNB1gJc/edit#gid=0

I know we're missing lots of contacts and information. Let me know if you think of other people who we should include in this discussion.

best regards

Scott Vader
 
 

[kevinphayes]

Pittsburgh has the closest Tech Shop and the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild.

http://www.techshop.ws/pittsburgh.html

http://mcgyouthandarts.org/

The local "franchise" of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, located at Artspace and run by Amber Dixon (former Buffalo Schools Superintendent):

http://buffaloartstechcenter.org/

Manchester is based on the strong belief that arts enrich people's lives. The original institution in Pittsburgh and the franchises consist of extensive, intensive youth arts programs, adult training programs geared to getting real jobs and a bit of other arts-related activity such as music and musical production.