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Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

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Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#71

Post by derp_dee_derp »

pseudolus wrote: post #43

In a similar vein I'm working on an idea to monetize cemetery plots and crypts in and around San Francisco. They're quiet workplaces with scenic views (lots of flowers and greenery), often centrally located and many are close to coffee shops. With a little cabling/wiring and some temporary structures they would make ideal workplaces.

I think you are missing the whole point of cemeteries and crypts: to honor the dead. They are not parks. They are not nature preserves. They are not just quiet places with scenic views. They are memorials to those who have gone before.

Turning a place of honor into an office space kinda defeats the whole point and is super disrespectful.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#72

Post by SubuSS »

mawburn wrote: post #70
SubuSS wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand the push for remote work. I have been a part of remote teams for over 11 years of my career (16 yrs). I have worked from home more days than I can count. It has enough drawbacks that I'd avoid it at any given opportunity. Here are a few reasons: - You are not part of the hallway conversations / decision changes / fly by meetings / face-memory / kitchen run ins and every other benefit of having peop…

Having people work remote in a non-remote culture is a completely different experience than working with a fully remote culture. If the entire team/division/org doesn't fully embrace it, it usually just doesn't work. That doesn't mean everyone had to be remote, either.

Can you please suggest some ways how to fully embrace this? I don't think offices are going away at least in my fang world.

I saw a note about everyone headphoning in - I can try this, but am skeptical because those people are still going to be more present than me (I mentioned this in my op). There are going to be side conversations, notes, glances, eye rolls, sighs I miss - the things I definitely need to get the full presence. Not to mention the walkie talkie nature of this - with everyone muting / unmuting and feedbacking.

I am open to other ideas - but am looking for ones that don't make the human interaction a lot more measured and artificial. As much as I like to be Spock, my xp points at emotions driving 90% of real decisions because the logical ones pretty much are a lay up in a sane group.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#73

Post by SubuSS »

ebiester wrote: post #68
SubuSS wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand the push for remote work. I have been a part of remote teams for over 11 years of my career (16 yrs). I have worked from home more days than I can count. It has enough drawbacks that I'd avoid it at any given opportunity. Here are a few reasons: - You are not part of the hallway conversations / decision changes / fly by meetings / face-memory / kitchen run ins and every other benefit of having peop…

The push is that some of us are led by life circumstances to do so. (For example, I am married to an academic with a tenure track position outside of a top-50 city.) My choices are to commute to another city or work remotely. (Coming home for the weekends sucks, by the way.) ____ That said, I find that full remote works really well. Half-remote is a lot more difficult for the reasons you say, but encouraging all empl…

Oh I understand the real world pressures, that's definitely not what I was discounting. I can see why people want it, I am discussing the efficacy of it and questioning this general push instead of opt in. IMO that's what you are trading for this Sophie's choice of a situation :/

Unless your exec board itself is fully remote, I don't think a company can be. I don't know of many companies like that :(

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#74

Post by viklove »

derp_dee_derp wrote: post #71
pseudolus wrote: post #43

In a similar vein I'm working on an idea to monetize cemetery plots and crypts in and around San Francisco. They're quiet workplaces with scenic views (lots of flowers and greenery), often centrally located and many are close to coffee shops. With a little cabling/wiring and some temporary structures they would make ideal workplaces.

I think you are missing the whole point of cemeteries and crypts: to honor the dead. They are not parks. They are not nature preserves. They are not just quiet places with scenic views. They are memorials to those who have gone before. Turning a place of honor into an office space kinda defeats the whole point and is super disrespectful.

I'm pretty sure the comment you're replying to was sarcastic.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#75

Post by sreyaNotfilc »

nkrisc wrote: post #54
sreyaNotfilc wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I saw 'San Francisco' and rolled my eyes. This is the dumbest idea I have seen in a while. What if someone runs you over trying to back into a spot? What if something falls from the sky (besides rain)? Or someone runs off with your equipment because your weren't looking? Or even, its a busy day and someone didn't reserve a parking spot. Putting your workers at risk because you're trying to save some dough is highly i…

Read the article. The primary point is activism. This isn't about money or saving costs at all. In fact the only mention of price was to pay the hourly parking rate, there's no mention of anyone collecting or making any other money on it. There's no formal system here, just some inspired activism to make a point about how much space is devoted to parking.

I believe that my stance still stands.

Say a lot of people join the bandwagon and become activists in this manner. Or even that, say someone is thinking that this is actually a great idea and starts buying up Parkmobile spots to.

Sitting in a parking lot, no matter what the cause or circumstance is, is a recipe for disaster.

Its still a highly unsafe thing to do.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#76

Post by JohnFen »

nafey wrote: post #25
s3r3nity wrote: post #9

Welcome to Silicon Valley: where everyone has somehow bamboozled themselves into believing that working in a cramped parking space is more valuable than buying office real estate in LITERALLY any other state... Remember kids: you don’t HAVE to live in California.

The other side of the coin is that a lot of very talented people congregate in places like Silicon Valley, so you rule out the potential of hiring/working for/working with them.

Although SV culture seems to think otherwise, there are lots of very talented people across the rest of the nation as well. I've found them everywhere that I've worked.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#77

Post by JohnFen »

zrobotics wrote: post #57
RandallBrown wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get a hot desk for $30/person/day. This parking spot is only $2.25 for as many people as you can fit in it.

What confusese is that anytime the open-office concept is mentioned it seems that nearly nobody is in favor of it, yet that is the model employed by most coworking spaces. I can't imagine trying to actually be productive in most of those environments.

> I can't imagine trying to actually be productive in most of those environments.

I know from experience that I can't, and that's one reason why things like WeWork would not be something that I'd consider. I wouldn't even take a position with a company that uses an open office plan.

But there are apparently a large enough number of people who find that sort of thing tolerable that a business catering to them appears viable.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#78

Post by JohnFen »

jontaydev wrote: post #6

Has anybody tried to create something like AirBnB for co-working/office spaces? There must be people willing to rent out a spare bedroom they never use, etc. All you really need to provide is a desk and internet.

> All you really need to provide is a desk and internet.

Depending on your city, there may be zoning restrictions about such use.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#79

Post by JohnFen »

Invictus0 wrote: post #19
cowpewter wrote: post #12

That makes me wonder what else you could repurpose as an office in places where offices are disproportionally expensive. What about a climate-controlled storage unit? A quick Googling tells me you can get a small (but large enough for a desk) climate controlled storage unit in San Fran for about $100-150/month. That's vastly cheaper than a co-working space. I know you can get storage units with power, they're pretty…

Met a guy in DC that actually lived inside a warehouse storage unit. He had installed lights, walls for multiple bedrooms, a kitchen/bar, and a lot of cool art. I'm awful at estimating distances but I'd guess the main room was about 800sqft and the bedrooms/bathrooms were divided from another 400sqft. With a little love, any place can become a home.

Major props for the Snow Crash approach!

Every warehouse/storage unit I've ever leased has included terms that specifically prohibited doing that, though. You might be able to get away with it for a while, but you should always be prepared to be evicted.

Re: Newest coworking space costs just $2.25 an hour, because it is a parking spot

#80

Post by nkrisc »

sreyaNotfilc wrote: post #75
nkrisc wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Read the article. The primary point is activism. This isn't about money or saving costs at all. In fact the only mention of price was to pay the hourly parking rate, there's no mention of anyone collecting or making any other money on it. There's no formal system here, just some inspired activism to make a point about how much space is devoted to parking.

I believe that my stance still stands. Say a lot of people join the bandwagon and become activists in this manner. Or even that, say someone is thinking that this is actually a great idea and starts buying up Parkmobile spots to. Sitting in a parking lot, no matter what the cause or circumstance is, is a recipe for disaster. Its still a highly unsafe thing to do.

> Its still a highly unsafe thing to do.

You are correct. However sometimes activists choose to risk their personal well-being to bring attention to issues or to make their point. I wouldn't worry about this becoming a normal thing.

The concerns you raise are about the practicality of this stunt. However the practicality of it is irrelevant to the purpose and not the point.

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