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# The state of the cowork
- URL: https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/the-state-of-the-cowork/
- Published: 2006-05-15T21:45:09.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-25T03:35:58.000Z
- Author: Chris Messina
- Tags: Coworking, Society & economy

[](http://tehspace.com/?ref=chrismessina.me)I have to make this quick. But I [promised to get it out](http://groups.google.com/group/coworking/msg/e12db15b8da8aef8?ref=chrismessina.me) and it's a good time to jot down a note or two about the State of the [Cowork](http://coworking.pbwiki.com/?ref=chrismessina.me). We had a [meeting last week at Ritual](http://groups.google.com/group/coworking/browse%5Ffrm/thread/21abfa8ad7cc435a?ref=chrismessina.me) with two new arrivals: Michelle and Wai Yip. That's from a total of 81 members on our nascent [Google Group](http://groups.google.com/group/coworking/?ref=chrismessina.me). We floated three courses of action:

1. Pursue [Ted](http://tagami.com/?ref=chrismessina.me)'s [upholstery repair shop discovery](http://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalbuddha/132189648/?ref=chrismessina.me)
2. Follow up with Schlomo about his place
3. Look into the [American Industrial Center](http://aisproperties.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) down in dogpatch

...and at the very least set a course to do more research on AIS -- resulting in [this video](http://blip.tv/file/31807?file%5Ftype=mov&ref=chrismessina.me) from [Ryanne](http://ryanedit.blogspot.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) and Michelle. [](http://www.flickr.com/photos/formulaphoto/sets/72057594126194581/?ref=chrismessina.me)Interestingly, much of what Ryanne says maps identically to what [Bill MacEwan](http://bad.typepad.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) of Vancouver's [Workspace](http://bad.typepad.com/workspace/?ref=chrismessina.me) says in [this video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=CxX21OyiiXU&ref=chrismessina.me) \-- which happens to coincide with some [excellent photos](http://www.flickr.com/photos/formulaphoto/sets/72057594126194581/?ref=chrismessina.me) of their newly renovated space on 21 Water St in Gastown. **So, this is where we're at:** We've got more information about AIS and it's looking promising. It's possibly not ideal in every respect (not streetfront, for one thing) but the space is pretty excellent in general and seems affordable for our needs. [Riya](http://riya.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) is also [donating furniture](http://groups.google.com/group/coworking/browse%5Ffrm/thread/efa889da462ffebd/229157136c0f11bb?ref=chrismessina.me#229157136c0f11bb) to our effort and, wouldn't you know it, [David Crow ](http://davidcrow.ca/?ref=chrismessina.me)of Torcamp fame and [Teh Boris](http://bmannconsulting.net/?ref=chrismessina.me) of Vancouver's [Bryght](http://bryght.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) have cooked up a [business plan](http://groups.google.com/group/coworking/msg/15670a78135f2328?ref=chrismessina.me) that's nearly ready for publishing under CC license. Oh, and it's no accident that Boris has decided to [push forward](http://www.bmannconsulting.com/blog/bmann/innovation-commons-must-get-built-in-vancouver?ref=chrismessina.me) with an independent [Innovation Commons](http://www.bmannconsulting.com/blog/bmann/the-innovation-commons?ref=chrismessina.me) in Vancouver separate from Workspace. Anyway, once that plan is out, we can start tossing in the numbers from our potential spots here in San Francisco and see what adds up... what kind of infrastructure we need, how many people we can support and what extra money we need to beg for... just kidding. But yeah, we're close, we're hungry and dammit, we're goin' to get [Teh Space](http://tehspace.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) up this summer. And apparently yet [another person](http://www.jarche.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) out there on the intarweb [has a similar idea](http://www.jarche.com/?p=775&ref=chrismessina.me) in Atlantic Canada. Those crazy Canadians...!

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### 💬 Comments from the original post

**[Rehan](http://rehan.zaidi.net/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-05-18 15:55:23

The "Atlantic, CA" location in your entry should be "Atlantic Canada"...that refers to the region of four provinces east of Quebec. Harold Jarche is in the town of [Sackville, NB](http://www.sackville.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) with a population of a whopping 5,341 (plus the university students from out of town). :) I'm guessing that's the smallest community where a knowledge-based Commons is in development or in existence.

**[FactoryJoe](http://www.factorycity.net/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-05-19 10:07:31

Thanks for the clarification, Rehan. Made the change. And yes, that **is** a very space community!

**[Andrew Crow](http://concretebrain.com/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-05-30 15:35:30

Check out Workspace, too. http://abetterplacetowork.com/

**[Remarkk! » Innovation Commons: Entrepreneurs need place, space and a good espresso](http://remarkk.com/2006/05/31/innovation-commons-entrepreneurs-need-place-space-and-a-good-espresso/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-05-31 19:02:04

\[...\] Boris is our Mann in Vancouver who got the ball rolling thanks to Bryght, Patrick Dinnen and Jevon MacDonald are on board. I have signed on, as have others. And we Canucks are connected to Silicon Valley coworking evangelist Chris Messina. \[...\]