Center SPACE Buffalo: Gauging Local Interest in Shared Facilities and Services
1. Introduction
A number of efforts have begun to come together around the idea of a high quality shared space and service facility for non-profits, community groups and like-minded entrepreneurial activity (small businesses) in Buffalo. PUSH Buffalo, Grassroots Gardens, Green Options Buffalo, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) have joined forces to investigate this possibility in the City of Buffalo. The Urban Design Project at the University at Buffalo (UB) has been engaged to conduct research to assess the feasibility of the concept, market demand within the community, the specific needs of the market, and the ideal scenarios for implementing such a center. This survey is the first part of that research and we need your input!
The Center for Social Progress, Arts, Community and Environment, Buffalo (Center SPACE Buffalo) is an emerging concept based on these efforts. If feasible, Center SPACE Buffalo will be an actual building in which non-profits and community-minded entrepreneurs can work together to better achieve their missions. By sharing high quality, secure, and affordable office space, technology, back office services, and administration, costs are reduced as economies of scale are achieved. Models such as the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto have proven that high quality shared facilities, support, and services can be a viable, cost effective, and flexible means to achieve these ends. As important, if not more important, are the daily cross-collaborative interactions that these centers make possible.
We thank you for taking about 15 minutes to complete the survey. We hope that each organization that receives the survey fills it out once, so please check with your co-workers to make sure work is not duplicated.
A summary of the survey results will be shared with all respondents and potential project funders but your individual responses will remain anonymous. Please contact Anthony Armstrong (AArmstrong@lisc.org) from LISC if you have any questions regarding the project, or contact Jajean Rose-Burney (jr58@buffalo.edu) at the Urban Design Project if you have any problems completing the survey.
Thank you for your time.