After being cramped in a 900-square foot facility for over three years, Xerocraft, a Tucson-based, non-profit, co-working space for makers and tinkerers are stretching their legs and moving into about a 4,400 square foot facility in downtown Tucson to accommodate their growing numbers and equipment.
Jeremy Briddle, Xerocraft’s treasurer, shares the milestones leading up to their move. In the beginning they began in a small storage space with only a few donated hand tools, soldering irons, junk computers, and stuff for parts; they only had three to six members at the time. As Xerocraft began to gather attention from a local paper and win local hackathons, such as the Startup Tucson hackathon, they accumulated more members and equipment to warrant a larger space.
Briddle is excited to relocate in the downtown area (at the historic Steinfeld Warehouse) and help create a “Tucson Tech Corridor” and be in range of other co-working and entrepreneurial spaces such as Gangplank; he is also excited for the members as they will be surrounded by artists and small tech startups who can use their tools and space to build “bigger and better things.”
Xerocraft has big goals for the future. On their calendar, they are hosting Tucson’s First Annual Maker Faire, an Open Hack night specifically for women and transgender people, and offering 3D printing classes. They also hope to soon offer STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) classes where they team up with local businesses, such as Gangplank and local non-profit, Bit Buckets, to use the facility for robot building competitions.
Most importantly, Xerocraft hopes to continue growing and expanding in their locations, tools, and members. However, no matter how much they grow, “Xerocraft will always be a place for hackers, makers, and tinkerers,” states Briddle.
To learn more about Xerocraft, hours of operation and membership rates click here.
Photos provided by Xerocraft
