Thanks for your answer Ross ! Certainly good food for thoughts. Go Detroit ;) I'll make sure to drop by next I tour the US if that's ok and should I bump into interesting urban environment resources, I'll make sure to send them your way !<div>
<br></div><div>All the best, <br><div>T.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2011/1/13 Ross Smith <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:rsmith@i3detroit.com">rsmith@i3detroit.com</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
Hi Mel!<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> It seems I've heard hackers here and there mentioning moving to Detroit and<br>
> turning it into "hackerstown" - possibly meaning coming to the area to<br>
> settle and help rebuild its economical and social fabric through<br>
> hackerspace-like structures and entrepreneurship. Is it something you've<br>
> heard of as well ? What would your take on that be ?<br>
> Cheers !<br>
<br>
</div>I must agree. I can't say Detroit will be more or less of a<br>
hackerstown than other very admirable places, but this area is fertile<br>
ground for hackerspaces. There are many prevailing reasons, but<br>
without getting into the details too much, they include:<br>
<br>
1) High density of academic, engineering and technical talent here due<br>
to the auto industry - hence many people likely to be hackers and<br>
DIYers<br>
2) Very low cost of commercial rental real estate - as the economic<br>
conditions here forced many businesses to close, leaving commercial<br>
landlords lowering their rates<br>
3) High demand for community among Michigander locals - as layoffs and<br>
economic turmoil disturb the fabric of our lives, we have a strong<br>
need for community, networking, and dependable friends in this area<br>
4) Entrepreneurship - many artists in the underground Metro Detroit<br>
community need spaces like i3 to do their work while keeping costs<br>
down; likewise many self-starting people use i3's resources as a<br>
platform to start their own business, as they have been dissatisfied<br>
with layoffs or seasonal employment<br>
<br>
This means we have many committed hackers making their local<br>
hackerspace a larger part of their own lives, and willing to share it<br>
with all their like-minded friends. The conditions are right - now<br>
it's up to us locals to make the culture grow and become as vibrant as<br>
it can be.<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
--<br>
</font><div><div></div><div class="h5">Ross Smith<br>
i3Detroit President<br>
<a href="http://www.i3detroit.com" target="_blank">www.i3detroit.com</a><br>
<br>
"Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually<br>
right." -- Henry Ford<br>
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