[hackerspaces] A New Hacker Has Joined Your Party!

[Ross Smith]

Hi Mel!

> It seems I've heard hackers here and there mentioning moving to Detroit and
> turning it into "hackerstown" - possibly meaning coming to the area to
> settle and help rebuild its economical and social fabric through
> hackerspace-like structures and entrepreneurship. Is it something you've
> heard of as well ? What would your take on that be ?
> Cheers !

I must agree.  I can't say Detroit will be more or less of a
hackerstown than other very admirable places, but this area is fertile
ground for hackerspaces.  There are many prevailing reasons, but
without getting into the details too much, they include:

1) High density of academic, engineering and technical talent here due
to the auto industry - hence many people likely to be hackers and
DIYers
2) Very low cost of commercial rental real estate - as the economic
conditions here forced many businesses to close, leaving commercial
landlords lowering their rates
3) High demand for community among Michigander locals - as layoffs and
economic turmoil disturb the fabric of our lives, we have a strong
need for community, networking, and dependable friends in this area
4) Entrepreneurship - many artists in the underground Metro Detroit
community  need spaces like i3 to do their work while keeping costs
down; likewise many self-starting people use i3's resources as a
platform to start their own business, as they have been dissatisfied
with layoffs or seasonal employment

This means we have many committed hackers making their local
hackerspace a larger part of their own lives, and willing to share it
with all their like-minded friends.  The conditions are right - now
it's up to us locals to make the culture grow and become as vibrant as
it can be.

-- 
Ross Smith
i3Detroit President
www.i3detroit.com

"Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually
right." -- Henry Ford