[Robotgroup] 60' X100' Steel Building $5000

Sun Mar 25 20:14:49 PDT 2007

The old Robot Hut was actually leased privately.
Bill Craig and I took turns, for several years, being the
one name on the lease.  We paid the whole rent out
of our pockets, and collected what we could from
donations.

This got to about $800.00 a month the last year we had the place,
plus Bill paid for the utilities.  If anyone got hurt at the place, the
Board of Directors of the Robot Group Inc. were in line to be sued.
We might eventually win, but anybody can sue you over just about anything
these days and being innocent, can be very expensive.
It is insane, but is the truth.

We had a lot of "fringe" people show up at the Robot Hut.
Only a couple of times did we have to ask people to leave,
but it was simple - this is private property, the landlord or the
person that signed the lease could ask someone to vacate the
premises, no discussion,  absolutely no reason needed - if
you have a problem with that, you can take it up with the police,
they will be here shortly to pick you up, if need be.

Sounds harsh, but ask anyone that has experience with this
sort of thing - like the bouncer for a bar.  There are people
that are really crazy, not "ha ha" crazy, dangerous crazy,
and we had some of them visit the Robo Hut.

For the vast majority of people,  the Robo Hut was a good place to work
and meet.  We paid the same rent, no mater how much we
used the space.  Most of the time, it sat idle, simply an
expensive storehouse for our junk.

Mark Pauline of Survival Research Labs (look him up)
suggested we get a shop to help get projects done.  He
was right, we did get a lot done with a the shop, store house,
and staging area.

It is unfortunate the the economics and the liability are so staggering.

Things to consider for a realistic monthly burn rate:

Rent or mortgage ~ $800.00 a month.

Insurance for a machine shop that allows visitors - call an
  insurance agent and ask.  A huge sum of money I assure you.

We also got a tax bill  each year from the governments in our area.
We got to argue with them on the evaluation - anybody remember
working on that project?  Not fun, but it had to be done.

Ever fix the toilet at the Robo Hut, several of us did.

Utilities

<your items here>

Add up the cost, and divide by the number of members that will
always make their payments on time.

We did it for 7 years, it was fun, interesting, and as expensive as
a bad drug habit.  

I don't regret a penny I spent on the group.
Magic did happen,
but some of the kids had to act like adults,
and pay the real cost.

We usually had 4 - 5 people that paid any significant money each month.
Over the years Bill and I covered many thousands of dollars of the cost 
out of our
pockets.

I wold like to have a Robo Hut again, but to make magic happen,
some have to push back the reality envelope for others that can't,
and it is expensive.

Think about havening $100.00 month dues.  That might cover the
costs of a decent sized shop.  Otherwise, look for a sugar daddy.
and discuss 501(c)3 donations.

Such is the live of a patron of the arts -
who still works for a living.

Robo Hut - go for it, I mean it.
Let me know how I can help.

Cheers

-Glenn

Cheers,

-Glenn

Def Egge wrote:
> Oh, my....  Have we learned nothing from Tom Morin's tragic death?
>
> Assume, in the first place, that this building was worth the asking 
> price.  That may, indeed, be a big assumption.
>
> Marvin's offer would be a generous one but there is a lot of legal 
> work required before a structure, purchased (in part, or in whole) by 
> The Robot Group, could be erected on private property.  Without that 
> legal agreement (and, perhaps, even with it), if Marvin should die 
> unexpectedly, do we not see a) a long and expensive legal battle and 
> / or b) a large lost expense.
>
> [This ignores the obvious ... Marvin's site is some 25 miles further 
> to the south and west of the old RoboShack location.  There is also 
> the issue of building and occupancy permits, the expense of a 
> concrete pad and utilities.  While I am at it, placement of a 5000 
> sq. foot improvement on Marvin's property is going to raise his taxes 
> ... yes, even in Dripping Springs.]
>
> If a work site is really necessary and exceeds the available 
> individually-owned garage space, try to pin-down Les Filip for a 
> price per sq. foot per month.
>
> Mind you, I would love to see The Robot Group save sufficient funds 
> and make the necessary commitment to obtain a place of our own ... 
> not leased by The Board of Directors and loaned to The Robot 
> Group.  I do not see that happening anytime soon ... collectively, we 
> lack the ambition, the drive, and the follow-through to handle the mission.
>
> If anyone sees the situation differently, or perceives that the last 
> location ended happily, the list is open to your opinion, too.
>
>
> All the best....
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> At 00:35  2007/03/25, you wrote:
>   
>> Hey, We need a shack/garage. I could swing a large part of the building
>> and all of the labor. I also have three storage units full of mostly
>> electronic surplus. Probably one third is trash, one third I'd give to
>> The Robot Group and one third I'd pay $100 dollars per month to keep in
>> the garage. Sounds like an idea!?! e
>>
>>     
>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>> Subject: Re: [Robotgroup] 60' X100' Steel Building  $5000
>>> From: "Marvin Niebuhr" <marvart at msn.com>
>>> Date: Fri, March 23, 2007 7:09 pm
>>> To: "The Robot Group Mailing List" <robotgroup at puremagic.com>
>>>
>>> I have 3 acres but mostly at a 45 degree angle but would give a spot
>>> to the Robot Group to put it up. Marvin
>>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>>   From: Derek Bridges
>>>   To: Robot Group
>>>   Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 6:11 PM
>>>   Subject: [Robotgroup] 60' X100' Steel Building $5000
>>>
>>>
>>>   FYI, this from craigslist:
>>>
>>>   http://austin.craigslist.org/prk/293808414.html
>>>   $5000 60X100 Butler Building/ Bolt together
>>>   This building is coming down starting the 19th. more info 512-619-3911
>>>   It is at 4214 Felter Ln, [near the airport].
>>>
>>>   Pix on the web site. Less than a dollar a foot. Anybody got some spare
>>>   change? And a little space?
>>>   Derek Bridges
>>>   _______________________________________________
>>>   Robotgroup mailing list
>>>   Robotgroup at puremagic.com
>>>   http://lists.puremagic.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/robotgroup
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Robotgroup mailing list
>>> Robotgroup at puremagic.com
>>> http://lists.puremagic.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/robotgroup
>>>       
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>
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