There’s lots of curiosity about what is happening at 156 Main St. in downtown Greenfield. The intermittent bustle of activity happening there is part of a new plan to create the first makerspace in Greenfield. It’s called The Hive, a nod to Greenfield’s proud history in beekeeping and Lorenzo Langstroth’s invention of the Langstroth Hive, still used today.
For those who may not know what a makerspace is, it’s a membership-driven community workshop. The Hive will be unique as it offers both cutting edge and traditional tools and making opportunities, taking advantage of our extensive community of artisans, artists and entrepreneurs. A recent study of the creative economy of Franklin County carried out by Michael Kane for John Olver shows that a comparatively large percentage of the population in Franklin County is made up of visual and performing artists and well as crafts people and DIYers. The Hive will have something for all of them.
Makerspaces combine manufacturing equipment, community and education for the purposes of enabling community members to design, prototype and create manufactured works that wouldn’t be possible to create with the resources available to individuals working alone. They serve the purpose of providing access to equipment, community and education while representing the democratization of design, engineering, fabrication and education. They are a fairly new phenomenon, but are beginning to produce projects with significant national impacts.
Traditional artisans like weavers, cobblers, embroiderers and woodworkers will create side by side with engineers operating 3D printers, a 3D scanner, 3D design workstations, a laser cutter, a 4-axis CNC mill, a vinyl cutter, a vacuum former, soldering stations and a variety of hand and power tools, and robotics equipment. The Hive will also have industrial sewing machines, a community loom and additional equipment to be determined by space requirements and member interest.
Under the guidance of Rachael Katz, Adrienne LaPierre, Mark Waller, myself and a team of devoted advisers, The Hive is in a planning and pre-development phase. The expected timeline to launch is approximately one year from now and will be open to members in late 2020. We are applying for a number of grants for start-up capital, and we need to raise an additional $15,000 to cover our current-year operating expenses. Thanks to generous contributions from individual supporters, we have raised about $7,000 so far.
The Hive represents a crucial element in the rich ecosystem of economic development that is just beginning to take shape in downtown Greenfield. With the success of Greenspace, the co-working space at Hawks and Reed and a second co-working space in the offing across the street, entrepreneurs and new business creators have a home where they may work collectively in a fully-supported office environment.
In addition, GCC is developing a new Entrepreneurship and Ideation Center on their campus. This center will offer the mentorship, workshops, education and guidance for entrepreneurs to hone their business plans and to find like-minded compatriots. The Hive represents the third component to create a vibrant innovative ecosystem that will boost the creative economy. It will be the place where creators may prototype their ideas, and enjoy guidance and mentorship to do so, learn new skills and collaborate with like-minded innovators.
Greenfield is entering an exciting new chapter resonating with echoes of the era when Greenfield Tap and Die, Lunt Silversmiths and the many other entrepreneurial industries were invented and developed right here. The Hive and the accompanying ecosystem supporting innovation is just starting to buzz with the vibrancy this new network will bring to Franklin County.
Linda McInerney is the artistic director of Eggtooth Productions, engaged in creating, producing and promoting high quality theater that engages, challenges and entertains audiences.