Kokomo Makerspace Aimed at ‘Enabling’ Innovation
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe SHAK Makerspace will Wednesday afternoon cut the ribbon on a more prominent location in Kokomo’s evolving downtown. Mayor Greg Goodnight says the facility matches well with the types of residents the city is trying to attract downtown to fill hundreds of new apartments and condos. SHAK Makerspace, he says, offers "that space to keep their creative skills active." Goodnight was joined on Inside INdiana Business Television by SHAK Makerspace President Nancy Braun, who described the array of offerings at the space.
Braun says the "member-driven" facilities include hot and cold metal shops, a wood shop, 3D printers, wide-format printers, computers, electronics, fabric equipment. The board, she says, "is charged with enabling" the changing interests called upon by the membership. Braun adds members come from diverse backgrounds from retirees to tradespeople, tinkerers to entrepreneurs.
Goodnight believes the space will help attract more residents downtown and serve as a feature that can be marketed by the city. The mayor is so bullish on the ideals exhibited by the downtown resurgence and the makerspace, he will proclaim Kokomo is a "Maker City" during the ceremonies surrounding Wednesday’s unveiling.
In recent years, the Howard County city has welcomed a new YMCA, sports stadium, restaurants and housing to the downtown. It has also reformatted roads and walkways in an effort to make it more walking and biking-friendly. "A lot of those things are kind of the anchor projects — we has a new brewery open last year — a lot of other things," he said. "This adds to it."