By Brentin Mock
CityLab
While solving America’s affordable housing conundrum is a priority concern, there’s another dimension worth heavy consideration for low- and moderate-income workers, especially in trying to close wealth gaps: Affordable work space.
There are existing start-up incubators, where enterprising creatives can set up their Surface tablets and Mac laptops on shared desks in communal offices. But what about those who trade less in tech and more in tangible wares, like producing end tables, lamps, and ottomans—the kinds of furniture techies use while dreaming up their next big things? Those folks need work space, but there are few options available for buying or leasing below market-rate prices.
Enter the “maker space,” shared spaces for industrial work, where people can also access shared tools, supplies, and materials. Some even offer classes and trainings to help workers sharpen their craft skills and business acumen.
Ilana Preuss, founder of Recast City, thinks of these spaces as “gymnasiums” for tinkerers and hobbyists who dream of owning their own businesses. Preuss has been working with cities and real estate developers on ways to grow this small-scale manufacturing sector as a way of fostering growth in job diversity and overall affordability, especially in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
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