[Noisebridge-discuss] warehouse space/ noisebridge east?

[Al Billings]

On 4/6/09 12:46 PM, Matt Peterson wrote:
> I would agree the area isn't as safe as say the Marina or Pac Heights, 
> but its on par with the Mission or Tenderloin - some blocks are worse 
> then others.  Recently I've dealt with more drama around our existing 
> space then my home (near 8th/Peralta).  As Al knows, very distinct 
> zones exist around here - the safest being south west of the BART 
> station; known formally as South Prescott or informally as Bruce 
> Beasley's side (a infamous landlord in these parts).  As you move 
> north it tends to get sketchy real fast.  I'd argue it's a lot more 
> decent working class and less thugs now-a-days, but characters are 
> still a "clean and present" danger.
>
> With that in mind, I'm totally in support of a Noisebridge East (Bay); 
> especially considering the growth @ 83 doesn't appear possible now.  
> However, the charter normally dictates a location much closer to 
> BART.  Also I don't think its an ideal situation for one member to 
> live at the space.  Berkeley, Jack London Sq, Emeryville, etc come to 
> mind.

Yeah, I lived in South Prescott (as Matt knows) and didn't cross 7th 
after dark too often.

I wish we had an East Bay space too. Emeryville seems unlikely as there 
is no BART access, as much as we could find space. I think we could find 
a space on Shattuck or Sacramento near Ashby fairly easily, which would 
only be eight or so blocks from the Ashby BART but that would take some 
serious organization. As inconvenient (for me) as the Mission space is 
since it is in the city, I suspect that we don't have enough people in 
the East Bay to make a space here economically viable.

I will say that the fact that Noisebridge is in the Mission is a common 
reason for why I don't make it to things as often even though I'm a 
founding member. It's a decently long BART ride (or a drive to West 
Oakland and a BART ride) to get over to the space. I do long for 
something on my side of the Bay.

Al