In an effort to bring hope and vitality back to downtown Talent, we have purchased property in an area devastated by the Almeda Fire. We are building a permanent, state-of-the-art 8,000 sq. ft. community makerspace to serve the entire Southern Oregon region.
We're looking to raise an additional $2.5 million dollars for this project with grants and community donations.
TMC INNOVATORS:
We are so excited The Roundhouse Foundation has joined us as our biggest TMC Innovator so far with a $250,000 grant! Their support will help us build the new makerspace!
Thank you so much to Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) who has been a generous early supporter of this project. We received a $100,000 donation through the Ames-Fluhrer Charitable Fund of OCF and another $500 from their Amy Cuddy Family Fund.
The Elizabeth Maughan Charitable Foundation has also been a great supporter of our project donating $36,000 to the new building towards sustainability purposes!
Talent Maker City is working with Arkitek Design and Architecture and Outlier Construction to complete the new building. After an intensive search, we selected these organizations due to their strong local reputations for completing projects on time and on budget. They have also committed to meeting many of our values such as centering diversity and inclusion within their staff and subcontractor hiring as well as a dedication to sustainability throughout the building process.
Construction Cam
Timelapse video of the construction process.
Our building will be SO innovative, so we're ready for the future with:
Intentionally exposed mechanical systems to spark curiosity
Virtual reality (VR) scanning to view the construction framing behind closed walls
Floors stamped with construction equations to demonstrate real-world math applications
Cutting-edge technologies such as 3D printers, 3D scanners, laser engravers, water jet cutters, and CNC machine
Our building will be SO inclusive, so our communities thrive. TMC provides:
Education and career pathways
Economic and workforce development
A fully equipped makerspace as a community resource
Trauma-informed instruction with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion
A database of local makers with different skills and common interests
Our building will be SO accessible, so we can all be creative. We will have more space to expand our partnership with Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection (OCSI) and increase Wheelchair Maintenance Workshops. We will also have:
Wheelchair charging stations
A convenient location along the RVTD bus route
High-tech wheelchair lift and additional ADA ramps
A comfortable space designed with cognitive and physical differences in mind
Planning for accessible tools and equipment use
Our building will be SO sustainable, so we are resilient. Our environmental building practices and climate change preparedness include:
Solar panels to utilize renewable energy and sunshades to offset energy consumption
Repurposed and reclaimed materials donated by local partners
Firewise hardening construction with metal roofing and exterior walls
Native plant gardens and drought tolerant landscaping
Upgraded energy-efficient heating and cooling systems with no natural gas
Hard surface decomposed granite as an alternative to petroleum based asphalt