Project Code Name: HomeMaker
We are inspired by people who create new solutions, who build things that move the ball forward in the world. We are excited to assemble a bustling mixture of designers, makers, artists, hackers, community organizers and other solutionistas and equip them with the tools and space to make ideas come to life. We want to create spaces that not only bring people together to laugh and share meals, but also dream big and create together.
So, we bought a building!
OpenDoor and an amazing team of partners are the proud new owners of 439 International Boulevard in Oakland. It is a 3-story mixed use building with a commercial space on the ground floor and residential space upstairs, walking distance from Lake Merritt and less than a mile from Bart.
Coliving X Makerspace = !!!
The plan for this community is to create a maker workshop on the ground floor with community living upstairs. We will be pulling in residents who specifically want access to the makerspace for the work they do. This way, members will be able to collaborate and support one another in real and active ways. We are even exploring structuring the makerspace as a loose design collective that can take on jobs and make products that help pay for the space and equipment. Members can build custom designed solutions for community living needs like mailboxes, shoe racks or arduino-powered milk jugs! This will be an opportunity to experiment, test and improve the coliving experience in real time.
Over the next few months, we will be significantly renovating the building specifically as a coliving and maker space. In the meantime, we will be building the community and planning and developing the makerspace. There is a lot more exciting stuff in the works, and we’ll share updates along the way!
Opportunities for involvement:
Founding Members!
If you are interested in being a founding member of this community, let us know! We are assembling an early core team that will make this project their own, building the community and adding their vision.
Work Parties!
We are going to be doing some of the renovation work ourselves (what kind of maker community would it be if we didn’t!?). We’ll be hosting a few work parties to do demolition, remove carpet, painting, etc.
Neighborhood Partners!
We want to contribute meaningfully to the neighborhood, and feel that we are in a unique position to do so. Whether its through youth skills training or helping to build a new playground or simply chatting on the sidewalk with neighbors, we are excited to extend the creative energy of this community out into the neighborhood.
Pop-up Space!
We have the keys to the building now, but the maker space won’t be getting built out for at least a month. The downstairs retail space is empty, just beckoning to be used creatively! If you have an idea for the space, drop us a line!
Financial Partners!
If you’re excited about this project and want to help make it happen, we’d love to talk.
