Dream It. Learn It. Make It.
We are
MakeIt Labs, New Hampshire's first and largest
Makerspace, located in Nashua, NH. We opened our doors in 2010, with the mission of becoming a place where anyone can come to dream, learn, and create, with other like-minded people.
We are avid supporters of the STEAM fields: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Members have access to our workshops and equipment for laser cutting, 3D printing, CAD, electronics, computer programming, metalworking, welding, machining, automotive repair, woodworking, ceramics, and much more. We also host classes and seminars for members and the public alike, to share our knowledge and skills with anyone who wants to learn.
We're going to MakeIt better...
MakeIt Labs has grown from its humble beginnings in a small garage, into a 6000 sq. ft facility with almost 100 active members - all without outside sponsorship. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we greatly benefit from the generosity of individuals and companies donating their time, equipment and materials to us. We rely on our membership dues for operating funds and improvements, but we're outgrowing our current space, and we have reached a critical point in our evolution.
Through a partnership with the City of Nashua, we have the opportunity to expand and improve our offerings. They have offered us a lease on a building that is over 3 times the size, for less than we pay for our current space! This will allow us to host larger groups, more effectively teach classes, and further expand our equipment and tool offerings. This is an amazing deal, the likes of which we may never see again.
But it will cost a lot to repair and renovate this building into our new home - over $30,000 - on top of the hundreds of hours of labor that our members have pledged in volunteer work.
That's where you come in. With your help, we will turn this vacant building into our new home - a place which will enable us to make an even bigger difference in the community. In the process, we will breathe new life into a building that dates back to the late 1800s, and is a part of Nashua's rich manufacturing past. Help us carry that spirit of innovation forward into the future.
Where it All Goes
$30,000 is a lot of money. Honestly, it's far more than we thought we'd need when we began discussing the site with the City of Nashua. As you can see from our
video and
gallery, some parts of the space are in great shape and are almost move-in ready, but
looks can be deceiving.
Since becoming vacant, the site has been vandalized - windows broken, heaters destroyed, plumbing and electrical fixtures ripped out, every scrap of copper pipe stolen. Working with the City, we have since taken steps to secure the building from further vandalism, but that doesn't undo the damage that has been done.
On top of these necessary repairs, any move into a new space costs money. We have to improve lighting, install our automotive lift, bring in better electrical service, and perform other renovations to adapt the space to our needs. It all adds up! Just take a look at some of our working estimates:
Roof Repairs |
$5,000.00 |
Plumbing Repairs |
$10,000.00 |
Electrical Repairs |
$5,000.00 |
Workshop Electrical |
$4,000.00 |
HVAC Service & Repairs |
$1,500.00 |
Paint |
$400.00 |
.. and the list goes on.
But what if...
Let us be completely honest with you - there are several things that could go wrong between the time we start this campaign and the time it closes that would make it impossible to get the building:
-
The tentative rental agreements ironed out with the City of Nashua may not pass final approval. Update: As of March 24, 2015 the Board of Aldermen has approved the agreement to rent the building to MakeIt Labs!
- New, previously undiscovered or underestimated damage to the building may make it way more expensive than we can possibly afford even with fund raising. Or the damage and effort may suddenly expand beyond the capabilities of our volunteer labor pool.
- Permitting or approvals required may hit an unexpected snag.
In any of those cases, our core goals remain the same - we want to continue to provide value to our community and share our love of Making. So if we can't move to this amazing building right down the street, we'll use every penny raised to improve our existing space and its capabilities to provide the classes and community engagement opportunities we want to achieve.
But we want to succeed.
The Perks of Giving
As a Makerspace, we have a wide range of talents and tools to draw on, and we'd love to share some of the things we do with you as a way of saying "thank you" for helping us reach for our goals. In that regard, we're offering a wide variety of perks and plan to add more!
Other Ways You Can Help
We understand if you can't contribute, but there are plenty of other ways to help!
- Get the word out and make some noise about our cause by sharing our campaign with your friends, family, coworkers, tech blogs, clubs - everyone!
- Volunteer your time or expertise to help us with this amazing opportunity!
- Stop by any Open House (Thursdays, 6PM-9PM) and see what we're about!
Thank you for your support!