Jake, turn down the heat a smidge. If it's such a bad idea, just engage with the substance instead of attacking Yar.
Thoughts:
1) We need to prioritize fully funding Omni. I just want to keep in mind that if we proceed on our current course, we will still have to leave the room Sudo Room is currently in. But not for a basement: it'll mean us and CCL and Food Not Bombs will have no space at all. Compared to that, moving to a lesser space in Omni doesn't feel that big a deal.
2) The first thing about this plan that appeals to me would be a complete redesign. As a former lab manager and a facilities manager at a much nicer hackerspace, I abhor the terrible utility of the space. I've pretty much never successfully used the space to BUILD something. At my old makerspace, I could come in and just BUILD baby. It was glorious. Here, I come by just to hang out, and I often don't even stay that long because the space makes me anxious with its terrible clutter. I went in last Friday and tried to cut some metal and cut 3/4 of a piece before the blade on the bandsaw broke, and since I couldn't find a replacement blade I went home and did the job with my jigsaw. It's a terrible workshop, and I'd LOVE to redesign the space as a set of functional workstations. Whether that redesign is in its current space or a new one really doesn't matter to me, but I will absolutely give my full support to any plan that lets me actually lay out equipment in a way that isn't a mess of daisy-chained power strips to broken, inaccessible machines. (Jake, I'm speaking to you here: if you want me to take your side against Yar, all you have to do is tell me that we're gonna make the place spiffy. If you try to tell me that we're gonna keep this disaster as is, though, that's gonna be a big no from me dogg.)
3) If the idea of moving is so utterly devastating, then let's use that as motivation. How about we actually get the current space into a usable condition and then finally, FINALLY have a member drive so we can cover costs?
4) Sudo Mesh is not a community project. I don't think it's active at all, but if it is, they REFUSE NEW MEMBERS. I've been trying to join since I got here, as have Ajay and Rajah, and Jonathan, and a bunch of other people, and when I tried to set up a meeting to discuss picking back up, Jenny and Marc told me that only they can have meetings, and the project is about to hold a meeting. Sierk has been telling me and anyone who asks about Sudo Mesh within earshot that they're just planning their next meeting, but I've heard him say it for a year. That space is a garage and they should vacate it or offer to let new folks actually join Sudo Mesh.
5) Maybe a compromise? Move computers and electronics benches downstairs and clear about half the current space to make room for new folks? Or make it a multi-purpose space and share it with another collective? It seems totally reasonable to try to make it more useful to a larger community and help keep the building open.
Cheers,
Andy