PR-2009-09-24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ::::::::::

Royal Oak DIY Group to Host Grand Opening for Community Workspace

ROYAL OAK, MI -- i3 Detroit, a cooperative space for makers, inventors and entrepreneurs of many trades, will celebrate its grand opening with an open house on Saturday, October 3rd. The event will be held at i3's new facility, 322 East Fourth Street, Royal Oak, MI. The public is invited to an open house 12PM to 5PM where they can tour the workspace, meet the members and view their projects. At 7PM there will be an event open to those 18 and over including hors d’oeuvres, open bar, live DJ and graffiti artist.

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 giving them access to tools that would normally be found in a factory."

i3 moved into the Royal Oak location on September 3rd, 2009. 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.

About: i3 Detroit (http://i3detroit.com) is a member-run, non-profit organization dedicated to creating a collaborative environment and fully equipped facility for the exploration of technology, art and culture. i3 Detroit is currently accepting new members. Paid membership includes 24-hour entry to the facility, access to all tools and preferred admittance to classes.

For additional information please contact: Nick Britsky, Director at Large i3 Detroit 248.709.3822 nbritsky@i3detroit.com