Independents Hall Philadelphia

Announcements, Week of 5/14/2012

Filed under: Announcements, Ex Libris Den Mother 4.0

Everyone have a nice Mother’s Day? Terrific. Everyone enjoy seeing Avengers for the first/second/third/fourth time? Wonderful. Welcome back to the hall, friends.

Something that I’ve been noticing, and I’m sure you have been too, is the clamor of construction downstairs, all the more noticeable through that hole in the floor. It’s funny to me how all of that noice somehow doesn’t distract from the energy and concentration here. Don’t get me wrong, it can be a seriously inconvenient ruckus at times, but everyone here knows the motivation behind the noise, we know that it’s only the prelude to something great, and we know that we’re all responsible for that upcoming greatness. We keep coming to the Hall, even in this bizarre state of flux.

I guess we like each other or something.

This Week!

Natasha is making lunch every Tuesday and Friday, for 10 people who are interested! $8 buys a fresh, homemade lunch, prepared and served here at Indy Hall. Want in? Add your name to the day you’d like lunch to reserve a plate: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlxE_6slMcg-dDU3Y1RwM1Vfb1JjT1hlX2dpY0p4bnc

Monday (TONIGHT!) - Counter Culture starts at 6:00pm, right here in the Indy Hall kitchen. Asparagus coconut soup is a thing that is happening!

Tuesday - Y’all know that Domino! launches today in the App Store, right? High-five Parker and Jake, place some tiles. Go! Buy! Domino!

Wednesday - Night Owls is back on track, starts at 6pm. Free to all members!

Thursday - Show ‘n Tell with Cathy Goodwin at noon – Cathy will be talking about attractive copywriting, offering live critique and tips for anyone seeking some help in that department.

Friday - On the fifth day: beer. (@ National Mechanics)

HIPCHAT:

Are you in the Indy Hall Hipchat room? If so, speak up! If not, let me know! https://indyhall.hipchat.com

Hear that? That’s the sound of evolution. (and hammers and shit)

Announcements, Week of 5/7/2012

Filed under: Uncategorized

Redesigning Indy Hall – Update #2

Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, From the Business Side, Independents Hall

There’s still a ton to do, and more updates will be coming over the next few days. I just wanted to make sure that everyone had a proper update after this weekend’s major work and that there weren’t any surprises on Monday morning!

If you’re coming into Indy Hall tomorrow or anytime over the next few weeks, you’re going to start to notice some new things. Most notably:

• Some new desk layouts in the north hall
• A wooden barrier around the hole for our new staircase
• The wall that previously contained the red archway between the north and south hall is completely gone!

PHOTOS!

North Hall Reassembly

We put desks back together and made sure there was room for everyone to work, but there’s some things left for you to finish:

• Find/relocate your chair
• Gather your belongings from the north conference room. PLEASE do that ASAP this week so we can return that meeting room to normal operations.
• If you need a power strip to plug into, talk to Adam or myself.
• If there’s an issue with the new layouts or anything else related to putting the north hall back together, let Adam or myself know.

General Notes

A few more notes about the coming weeks, related to the construction timeline and changes made to the office:

• The current timeline for the stairs has the landing being constructed on the 1st floor on Wednesday and then dimensions being sent to the metalworkers that will be fabricating our stairs. If all goes according to plan, the stairs themselves will be installed on or before May 25th.
• We’re doing everything we can to make sure anything noisy or disruptive is done nights and weekends to minimise disruptions in everyone’s work day. We’ll do our best to post notices about any daytime disruptions at least a day in advance. Apologies in advance for any annoyance this causes. If you start noticing ongoing issues that are disruption to you or your workday – PLEASE contact me directly so we can make things better.
• Everything is temporary. We managed to only lose a single flex desk from the total layout, but that does mean that the floor plans may not be awesome. Have ideas? Let myself and Adam know. But remember that how things are now is temporary – in <4 weeks we’re going to have a lot more space to redistribute through. So if you DON’T like something, let us know but don’t worry too much, it’s likely to change soon. And if you LOVE something about the space, let us know but don’t get too attached to it, it’s possible that it will change soon :)
• Our target for the 1st floor being usable is Friday June 1st. That’s 4 weeks away. Lets ride. 

Most of all, thanks, everyone.

I know that change is challenging and sometimes confusing, but the amount of input we’ve had from members so far has been really valuable for us in many ways, including making sure that people are following along and participating.

This is extremely exciting, and I’m looking forward to everything left to do over the next few weeks, months, and beyond.

Redesigning Indy Hall – Update #1

Filed under: Announcements, coworking, Independents Hall

It’s been a couple of weeks since the Town Hall and the summary I shared and after tons of support, excitement, and creative brainstorming about how we want to tackle our next steps we’ve achieved an important milestone:

Our new lease is signed. Adding the first floor to Indy Hall is a go.

What does this mean? It means that on June 1st our lease begins and we’ve got a whole bunch of things to do between now and then (not the least of which is celebrate!).

Now that the lease is signed, we’ve got a lot to do!

First – if you’ve been thinking about prepaying membership and haven’t talked to myself or Adam about it, now’s a great time :)

Next – thank you to the people who’ve contacted me about interest in providing loans. Now that we can focus on the specific projects for the redesign and the costs associated with completing them, we’ll have a better feel for not just how much money we need but what we need it for. More on that front very, very soon.

What’s happening next:

• The landlord is clearing out the entire 1st floor. All of the partitions, stuff, and the walls that divided the former DeTours space and the rest of the space are being removed. We expect that to be complete by the end of this week.
• An engineer is coming in to evaluate the location options for the connecting stairs. We need this done ASAP so we can submit for the permits to have the hole cut. The hole itself is likely to be a few weeks out due to the permits process.
• We need to get to work on thinking about the layout of the space. As we’ve said before, it’s best to think about this as a “redesign” of Indy Hall more than an expansion. We need to account for use on both floors, the team rooms, the classroom, security and flow, etc. Kevin Lee’s been working on Google SketchUp drawings of the 1st and 2nd floor so we’ll have the ability to easily lay out ideas and options but we do want to make this a co-design process. We’ll be announcing dates for a couple of open design sessions in the next 2 weeks, so watch out for those and please try to get involved if you’re interested. The sooner we have our initial ideas drafted, the better off we’ll be in terms of planning the rest of the build.

This is really just the next couple of weeks, but I’d like to be thinking a step or two ahead or finding ways to do some planning in parallel for the things we can’t do just yet (networking & media, lighting, furniture, decorations, etc).

If you’re interested in any of those topics (or other topics you think might be related to the move but I didn’t list), let us know so I can add you to the other Basecamp where we’ll be spinning up more project-specific discussions.

We’ll keep posting updates like these as often as they make sense. Hopefully they’ll be shorter and with less time between them.

Once again, thanks to everyone for the excitement and support over the last 2-3 weeks. Here comes the really fun part.

Announcements, Week of 4/9/2012

Filed under: Announcements, Ex Libris Den Mother 4.0

Baseball! Baseball is happening! We should all think about grabbing some cheap tickets to a Phillies game and spend a Saturday at the park, soon. The weather’s just right and even if you absolutely detest the sport (or the Phillies), I’m sure a group of us would have a great time. This time of the year reminds me of the fact that I’ve got a ton of new friends to enjoy the season with, and even more reasons to meet new ones.

Indy Hall’s Latest!

- Ben Garvey

- Reed Gustow

- Paul Walker

- Amy Lisenmayer

- Edmond Durana

This Week!

Natasha is making lunch on Friday, for 10 people who are interested! $8 buys a fresh, homemade lunch, prepared and served here at Indy Hall. Want in? Reserve a lunch here: http://wepay.com/x2ivarl 

Monday (TONIGHT!) – Counter Culture starts at 6:30pm, right here in the Indy Hall kitchen.

Tuesday – I don’t know what a “big blind” is, but I do know that Indy Hall poker is more than worth the $10 I will inevitably sacrifice. Sign up to win play here: http://anyvite.com/b1w1iq0gui

Wednesday – Soccer at Franklin’s Square, meet up here at the Hall at 4:30pm!. Bring your cleats! Or don’t! Whatever!

- Night Owls all up in this place, starting at 6pm. Free to all members! [Note: If you frequently attend Night Owls and potentially have interest in hosting regularly, let me know! SRSLY.]

Thursday – CocoaHeads meets at 7pm!

Friday – Grab a friend and make your way to National Mecha- WAIT. Scratch that, mosey on over to Amy Hoy’s apartment to welcome Thomas back into the US of A (it’s a surprise party so shh!). Relevant details here: http://anyvite.com/a9a1bkx843

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:

- NextFab 2 Preview Party on April 19th – 6pm to 9pm. Details here: http://ph.ly/axme1

INDY HALL ATHLETICS:

Interested in finding people to play sports with? Add your skillset to the Indy Hall Sports sheet, link up with others for a pickup game, or league.

https://docs.google.com/a/indyhall.org/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqcNf61O7ThmdE5jX21qT2NWRzRwZWxQY212NWh2N0E&authkey=CJGGh64C#gid=0

HIPCHAT:

Are you in the Indy Hall Hipchat room? If so, speak up! If not, let me know! https://indyhall.hipchat.com

PLAY BALL, DUDES.

Announcements, Week of 4/2/2012

Filed under: Announcements, Ex Libris Den Mother 4.0

There are a lot of weird things on our block, most of which I’m just discovering for the first time. That raccoon on the wall across from our balcony – what’s up with that? Or, ever notice how many stores sell just shirts around this block? A lot of shirt sellin’ on this street, so much so that the entire wall behind the food cart is deemed “SHIRT CORNER”. Ironically, there are no shirts being sold on or around that corner. Indy Hall is here on the second floor of the Daniel Building (and soon on the first floor, holy crap http://www.indyhall.org/blog/2012/03/31/indy-hall-3-0-the-future-of-indy-hall/), but let’s not forget that Indy Hall is outside, too. The weather is getting better this month, appropriately, and it’s a good time to have someone point out quirky landmarks that you might miss on the daily. “SHIRT CORNER” is a hell of a conversation-starter for meeting someone new.

Welcome (back), new members!

- Kevin Lee

- Todd Hiestand

This Week!

Monday (TONIGHT!) – Counter Culture starts at 6:30pm, right here in the Indy Hall kitchen. In fact, they’ve been fixing up a polenta concoction all afternoon, and we have them to thank for the smells in the Hall, which is not frequently offered as a high compliment.

Tuesday – Indy Hall Poker continues to ramble and gamble on through the night. $10 buy-in, this week. http://anyvite.com/nnclngeofq

Wednesday – Soccer at Franklin’s Square, meetup here at the Hall at 4:30pm!. Bring your cleats! Or don’t! Whatever!

- Night Owls all up in this place, starting at 6pm. Free to all members! [Note: If you frequently attend Night Owls and potentially have interest in hosting regularly, let me know!]

Thursday – Postgreen South Kensington event, 4pm to 8pm at 1703-05 N Howard St. More details, here: http://postgreenhomes.com/customize/?s=0

Friday – Beer brings us together. Test that theory at National Mechanics, tonight.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:

- NextFab 2 Preview Party on April 19th – 6pm to 9pm. Details here: http://ph.ly/axme1

INDY HALL ATHLETICS:

Interested in finding people to play sports with? Add your skillset to the Indy Hall Sports sheet, link up with others for a pickup game, or league.

https://docs.google.com/a/indyhall.org/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqcNf61O7ThmdE5jX21qT2NWRzRwZWxQY212NWh2N0E&authkey=CJGGh64C#gid=0

HIPCHAT:

Are you in the Indy Hall Hipchat room? If so, speak up! If not, let me know! https://indyhall.hipchat.com

Oh, by the way, INDY HALL IS GROWING UP AND EXPANDING DOWN. LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

Indy Hall 3.0 – The Future of Indy Hall

Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, From the Business Side

First, a big thanks to everyone who made it to Thursday night’s Town Hall. We had ~40 people in attendance, which was great considering the meeting was called 24 hours prior. The mix of existing members, prospective members, and general community was nice and we were even joined by Councilman Bill Green in the 2nd half of the discussion.

For those of you who couldn’t make it and are interested in our future, I’ve promised the following recap. For everyone, I want to share some of our next steps and actionable plans. I know this is a long document: trust me, it’s all important.

The Timeline

The most immediate timeline is based on us starting this expansion project, well, immediately, hosting events during Tech Week (starting April 22nd) and doing as much as we can to make the space some form of usable by May 1st.

We know we won’t be done, or even close to done, but we’ve opened twice before in less than three weeks. This time we have four weeks, over 2x as many members to help divide and conquer.

This timeline is pending support from the landlord on putting together a timeline that works for them on the side of removing walls, building new walls, and installing a staircase between the floors.

Yes, I’m insane. You love me for it :)

The Reason(s)

First and formost, we’ve had a waiting list since September that’s growing faster than it’s shrinking. We have a waiting list of full time and lite members waiting patiently to join our community, and have been signing up new basic members actively.

But there’s more to it: Indy Hall is growing up, not just growing.

In addition to more workspace, we have 3 specific initiatives that the 1st floor provides us with to continue our community’s maturation: support for teams, a dedicated classroom, and a connection to the street.

Support for Teams

Indy Hall was originally conceived for people who worked alone because that’s the majority of who from the community was interested in having a clubhouse to work in. Over time, two things happened: some of our members started forming teams amongst themselves, and we became a desirable option for existing teams of 2-3.

Once a group grows past 3 people, Indy Hall starts being as ideal as it is for individuals. We’ve got some great teams that are growing, and they want to continue operating at Indy Hall. Over the last several months, I’ve spoken with Jim and Nick (MyClin and FactorMedia respectively) about the things their teams need to be effective, and we decided that team rooms will be an ideal solution for companies like them.

A team room is NOT a private office in the fact that the team will not work from the team room all of the time. They will still have desks out in the coworking space, but when the team needs to gather, there’s a space that is theirs: it has their whiteboards, their materials, everything they need to meet and work during the times they need to work together, specifically. The rest of the time, they’re normal Indy Hall citizens. Think of them as private conference rooms more than private offices.

The details of this program are still being determined, including exactly where the team rooms are located and their exact size and contents.

A Dedicated Classroom

Three years ago when we moved to the Daniel Building, we planned to keep the original Indy Hall as a classroom/workshop space. The scale was wrong, two locations was a burden, and we didn’t have quite enough demand to pull it together.

Three years changes a lot. So does some perspective. We’ve all gotten better at what we do in three years, and we’re all getting better at sharing what we’re good at. Some of us have already started teaching, some in the local universities, others (including myself) independently running workshops. Not only is this an incredible way to really get to know your craft, it’s an awesome supplemental income if it’s scaleable.

The dedicated classroom, like any Indy Hall resource, is first and foremost for our community members. We haven’t ruled out renting it outside but there’s such a wealth of experience and knowledge within this community that we believe that we can build an incredible educational program that fits Indy Hall’s approach and ethos. Of course, that’s something we do together. The dedicated classroom space is a stake in the ground saying that we’re serious about doing it.

Consider this a design challenge: what could an effective Indy Hall classroom look like?

Street Access

For our entire history, we’ve been on the 2nd floor of a building. It’s never been a real problem, and in fact, provided a sense of security that I think has helped us build the kind of environment that we have today.

A connection to the street is not without its problems (which I’ll address more in a minute) but comes with a few massive gains. Among them is the growing sense of community not just within Indy Hall, but in the Old City & (N)3rd Street corridor.

Being more connected to the street creates an opportunity to interact more easily with that corridor, ultimately increasing the quality of life and the potential collaborations for Old City community members.

For more on sidewalk culture and some inspiration for how we already think about experiences at Indy Hall, this presentation on Jane Jacobs’ work provides an interesting backdrop for thinking about why we might want to participate more in our sidewalks.

The street access also means that we can be creative with the entrance of Indy Hall, which would now be street level. The potential for the first 10-20 feet of the entryway to be some sort of retail concept has raised the interest of many members, with everything from pop-up seasonal concepts to Etsy-style crafter retail space to a more cozy coffee shop. No decisions have been made, this is more about opportunity to create a new element of experiencing Indy Hall.

What else can we dream up?

These ideas are just a few of the things we think are possible. The conversation isn’t over. We’ll be co-creating each of these ideas, but this is an open call for “What else could we do?”.

The Challenges Ahead

Huge opportunity doesn’t come without risk or concern. Some of the things that we’re already thinking about, though the list is not exhaustive, include scaling community, maintaining security, space design, and financing.

Scaling Community

What happens to the culture of Indy Hall as it grows, specifically if it grows quickly? We know a few things since we’ve grown at least once before when we moved to this building.

In short, it’s not a hands-off process. During periods of growth more than ever, making sure that we increase our focus on creating opportunities for members to get to know each other. We already do this (and a lot of it is so subtle you probably don’t notice), but during growth periods we do this even more. The pace and rhythm for events increases. The number of “community projects” increases. Opportunities to get involved appear everywhere.

This isn’t a silver bullet, and we have to expect some fall-off. That’s built into Indy Hall’s model, and we’ve only gotten better at giving people a reason to stay at Indy Hall over the years.

There’s also natural subdivisions that help us scale. Things like Night Owls, Day Glo, and Countr Culture are sub-groups of Indy Hall that have the potential to become notable sub-communities within the larger community. This happens naturally and instead of trying to force it to happen or not happen, we embrace and support it. So long as these sub-communities are healthy and are interacting with each other, the larger community remains healthy.

This isn’t a simple process, and it all comes down to everyone chipping in a little bit of extra effort to remember to get to know your neighbors. See a new face? Go out of your way to say hello. Get to know your coworkers. Introduce that person to two other people.

That’s why this place exists.

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