Housing Proposal - Winter Base of Operations v. 2

[ZSigman]

This is the updated text of the proposal for 500 W. Cermak.

HOUSING PROPOSAL – WINTER BASE OF OPERATIONS

Housing committee voted to endorse this location on November 30, 2011. This endorsement is in accordance with our mission statement, which is available for perusal on the Occupy Chicago website. This proposal is to lease both units presented and use them simultaneously to satisfy the movement’s varied needs for space.
RIVERFRONT WORK LOFTS - 500 W. CERMAK
(2147 S. LUMBER – MAIN ENTRANCE)
TRANSPORTATION -
• This location is five blocks from the Cermak red line
• It is 2.8 miles from Jackson and LaSalle
• It is within walking distance from a night owl bus line
• It is easily accessible from the highway, and has free and plentiful on street and lot parking
We propose leasing both of the following units:
UNIT 501: 3393 sq. ft., $3100/mo.
Unit 501 would be a working space for committees and a base for tech and other committees in need of lockable working spaces.
• It includes a kitchenette with a refrigerator and microwave.
• It includes a bathroom with a private toilet, sink, and Jacuzzi bathtub.
• There are three soundproofed spaces that could fit two to five desks each.
• There is one soundproofed space that could fit one desk.
• AC is installed in unit.
• This unit includes a larger meeting space for approx. 30 people.
• It includes two smaller rooms that could fit 10-15 people for committee meetings.
• It includes two eternal, wall-mounted, waterfalls.
Unit 700: 2489 sq. ft., $2489/mo.
Unit 700 would be a large open space to be used for winter G.A. meetings as well as teach-ins, art projects, trainings and larger events organized and hosted by Occupy Chicago.
• This unit includes a bathroom with a sink and toilet.
• It includes a kitchenette with a refrigerator.
• The walls in this unit are painted and the floors are nicely finished.
• This unit includes a suspended shelving/storage area (previously used to support a projector)
• The floors below and above this unit are exclusively used for storage
• The Fire Marshall has indicated that this space would require four square feet per person standing, giving us a maximum occupancy of ~622.
GENERAL INFO:
• All utilities, including electricity, heat (in some cases AC as well), trash, gas, and water, are included in the rent.
• Rent is month to month, it is also possible to pay a lump sum up front for an established period of time.
• Benefactor X has indicated their desire to donate around $3000/mo. towards housing for Occupy Chicago.
• There are private, working bathrooms available in each of the units we’re pursuing. Additionally the fifth and seventh floors have two bathrooms available for general use.
• Freight & passenger elevators are available for general use.
• Loading dock is available.
• We are free to paint the walls and generally make our spaces our own so long as we make no structural changes without management’s approval.
• There are separate, secure, inexpensive, storage units available for rent in the building.
• The building, originally the Thompson and Taylor Spice Company, was built in 1911. For more information regarding the history and politics of the area and building, please direct questions to Kristy or Bill.



ADDITIONAL SPACE:
• There are many more spaces available in the building to satisfy our growth as a movement. As of today, December 9, 2011, management has indicated that there are additional spaces between 10,000 and 12,000 square feet available on the seventh floor, a 15,000 square foot space on the first floor, and several 4,000 – 6,000 square foot spaces available throughout the building. Pricing for these units would be less than $1/square foot, however, no specifics have been discussed as of yet.
• Management expressed the desire for our movement to grow with them, and for them to grow with the movement. They want to support us in our growing needs.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT:
Any of the following three qualifications will trigger a process of moving our base of operations to a new space:
1.) If the weekly average of GA attendance is greater than 75% of the legal maximum occupancy of the space.
2.) If the attendance on three consecutive Friday or Saturday GAs exceeds 75% of maximum occupancy.
3.) If any of the codes required by law for a commercial space to posses are discovered to be missing or unsatisfied.

[ZSigman]

Here's a link to the photos:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid= ... 1&hl=en_US

[marymcmahon@clear.net]

Your presentation is seriously flawed. You still haven't presented a concise description of your objectives and how this location satisfies Occupy Chicago's functional needs.
1. Length of stay, Signatory, Budget
2. Functional prerequisites with secondary considerations followed by useful unessential features
3. Disqualifications

It appears that you may have been searching for an "exclusive group home" or "flop house", if that was your objective then declare it so we can decide whether or not we are supportive or not.

[sheryl]

To paraphrase what MaryM. said, this looks like a private club house space to me. It just not smack of space for the general public.

I want online voting options.

[sheryl]

And I personally do not think that do not that sleeping quarters need to be a must, excepting an occasional pass out on a couch for busy Occupiers.

I think that the Zuccotti Park and other campsites have served their purpose in gaining awareness, visibility, and press, of course, but I think that phase is somewhat over. Let's focus on getting money out of politics and holding banksters and wallstreet accountable.