Re. specific spaces and strategy:

= Elevator or ground floor for accessibility, and also for being able to move stuff in & out of the space safely.  Stairways are the #1 cause of serious indoor injuries, and the risk is higher when carrying bulky or heavy objects up/down stairs.

= Basic kitchen facilities & nongender bathroom.

= Access to MPOE & IDFs: telecoms wiring closets, and the ability to run our own wiring. 

= Ideally, access to the roof for installing various wireless & mesh devices.  And also, a location that isn't hemmed-in by highrises to the point where signal isn't getting in or out.

= Check the distance to nearest telco central office for potential impact on broadband, contact Sonic to ask about specific locations.

= Check the cellular reception in the suite itself for access to at least two carriers.  Ideally have at least one live mobile phone call from the space to check for drops & disconnects, and run an app to check for data speed.

= Earthquake safety:  Most of downtown Oakland is in the "violent shaking zone" on local earthquake maps, and some parts such as the area around 1924 Franklin are in the "extremely violent shaking zone," so older and taller buildings are at risk of severe damage.  Anything built or substantially seismically upgraded after 1990 (Loma Prieta was in 1989) is better.  Otherwise count on making a hasty escape down the stairway and carrying anyone who is using a wheelchair. 

= Has anyone thought of _buying_ a building?  Think of some small and quasi-dilapidated little commercial building somewhere nearby: maybe a defunct storefront or warehouse or burger stand that can be remodeled with a community barn-raising.  Or a house that's a fixer-upper and can be converted by expanding the common space?  The tradeoff is that these aren't going to be as close to BART as downtown locations, but I wonder about the combination of BART + bike, or BART + electric scooter/skateboard for the regulars, and a "meet-me/pickup" method for occasional visitors?  Is there any combination of friendly funding & safe loans/mortgages that might make it possible to buy a building?

-G.








On 13-05-06-Mon 5:51 PM, Matthew Senate wrote:
Ryan and Jenny are excellent! We went biking and found more places for sudo room's future decision-making!

http://hackerspaces.crowdmap.com/

Please add more reports (choose at least one):
(a) tweet the address and details (e.g. a phone number) @sudoroom
(i) You can also set up twitter to post via text message to 40404 if you don't have a data plan with your phone--ask me for details! ;)
(b) send an email with the same info to info@sudoroom.org
(c) use the web form https://hackerspaces.crowdmap.com/reports/submit
(d) download a mobile app (though the new android app crashed for me >.<)

You can also help by:
(a) Calling some of the existing listings, coordinate by replying to this message!
(b) Offering to review old listings that might still be available!
(c) Trolling Craigslist and other websites with spaces for rent / lease.
(d) Contribute to this spreadsheet Romy set up: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amu8QvJOCyfkdFRkMnFGblJ3MzZDNFNRSS1MQzRBalE
(e) Organize another bike-about to find more locations!

The crowdmap platform released a new version of their software today, but we can use the "classic" mode likely through 2013, with options to migrate and such before then.

I have backups just in case, and we can back more data up as we add to it.

// Matt


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