Hacker News Reader

We run into the same issues here in Chicago. Rent is so high that having a co-working space is just as expensive as leasing your own office--the ones that are cheap aren't much better than working from a home office.

I really think these spaces need to be non-profit and supported by the workers that use it. If you insert a for-profit entity, it just doesn't work...

I'm not sure it can be built here either. Conjunctured is thriving on the Eastside doing co-working - but I think it's a labor of love.

The other spaces in town that are similar aren't going to make it I'm afraid.

I think the only way to make the economics work is to have founder also own the space, removing the layers of leasing agent and building owner from the equation.

Room for profit is the key. Comments from local folks in-the-know seem to say this has been investigated here in the ATX, and there isn't room for profit.

Alas, your garage idea might be the next step. (maybe a mobile geek-hut in the garage, with solatubes for a bit of natural light?)... hmmm