i3 Detroit, a cooperative space for makers, inventors & entrepreneurs of many trades, will celebrate its grand opening with an open house on Saturday, October 3. The event will be held at i3’s new facility, 322 E Fourth St, Royal Oak, MI. The public is invited to an open house 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. where they can tour the workspace, meet the members and view their projects. At 7 p.m. there will be a party open to those 18 and over.
Russ Wolfe, founder and president, describes i3 as “a collaborative environment for people to explore the balance between technology, art and culture.” The 1,500 sq. ft. facility contains an assortment of fabrication tools, a classroom, and stock of many common components. “We want people to learn how things work by enabling them to build projects and providing them access to tools that would normally be found in a factory.”
i3 moved into the Royal Oak location on September 3. Since then, members have been working every day to prepare the space and bring in heavy tools. “It’s a lot of work, but we are all excited to see the vision coming together,” says member, Ted Hansen
Members have a wide range of interests and professions. “We have machinists, programmers, artists, and electrical engineers as members now,” says i3 member Phil Frost. “Everyone has a useful skill to share.”
i3 hosts public classes on topics as diverse as its membership, such as woodworking, Linux, amateur radio, telecom architecture, computer programming, and automobile repair.
Everyone is welcome to come by to see the space and chat with our members. The space is full of creative individuals and great conversation. We hope to see you there!
