Makerspace being considered for former U.S. Steel site
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Officials in Portage are looking into the possibility of creating a makerspace at a former U.S. Steel (NYSE: X) training facility. Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report the city’s redevelopment commission will examine the feasibility of such a project.
Portage City Council Vice President Scott Williams is a proponent of the project and said the property, which totals about 16,000 square feet, could establish the city as a “makerspace pioneer.”
If approved, the South Shore Makers Lab would be operated by a yet-to-be-formed nonprofit, according to the publication.
Williams told the RDC the facility would attract do-it-yourselfers, hobbyists and entrepreneurs looking to get their businesses off the ground.
“We want your endorsement and support of the project,” Williams told the commission. “We’re looking for the RDC to commit funding for a building assessment, space allocation and cleanup. There’s a lot of things stored in that building that need to be moved someplace else, but generally, I tell you, the building is well-suited for a makerspace.”
The property is currently rented out by the city’s parks department.
The city told the publication a contract is in place with a consultant to study space planning and analysis of the facility, and a potential transformation into a makerspace will be included in that examination.
You can read the full story from The Times of Northwest Indiana’s Doug Ross by clicking here.