Logistics / Location

[matthew]

This thread is for discussing possible locations for future meetings of the General Assembly, and the logistics involved with suggested locations. "Feasibility" might be a better word here, but what we need to get at is things like the cost, availability, proximity to people / transportation, convenience, parking, accessibility, and suitability of the suggested location, among other things.
If anybody can speak for or even just suggest any possible locations, or wants to share some feedback on any of the ideas presented, please talk about that here.

[Emma]

I have seen the suggestion of FUUSA. It doesn't really qualify as "a different neighborhood" from the first OA meeting, but it's a different neighborhood from GSCA and has facilities that would be really perfect (couple big rooms, multiple smaller room, possibility of kid space, amplification systems, heat & light, bike parking, bus, etc...)

Please ask around among local contacts for other ideas. I'm supposed to be spearheading this but I don't want to be the only one working on it. We need a location for next week's meeting by this Sunday's meeting.

[Emma]

I have feelers out at FUUSA and Trinity's Arbor Hill center (3rd & Lark, across from the charter school buidling not behind it). Neither is likely to be confirmed by Sunday. Looks like we're going to have to set a date & time w/o a space confirmed again. I won't be available to make calls again today so do you think we could maybe have a paper up at the meeting for people to jot down ideas of spaces? With their own contact info so I could follow up with them about the space? I have contacts at a few places from my after school teaching days, but I'm not sure if I should even be inquiring at city-owned spaces like schools or what...

[Emma]

Allright, now I'm gonna be late for my Coop shift but the FUUSA guy called back and we can have it if we want it. Childcare space, wireless mic's, huge hall, we can arrange seating how we want (and put it back when we're done!), break-out rooms...

We can put this out at the GA as a possibility and folks can vote as to whether we should set it then and there or whether we should keep looking for something in another neighborhood (and still use FUUSA as a back-up if nothing else pans out by, say, Tuesday). Sound good?

[didactic]

what/where is FUUSA?

[laurelyoung]

I was thinking in addition to ideas presented what about the SUNY downtown campus? It houses the Social Welfare program and they may agreeable to use the space there. I know they do have and auditorium. It is on washington avenue, fairly central and accessible.I can not reach them on the weekend but can drop in on monday. Even if it is not fr the next meeting i can inqquire about future ones.

[Emma]

Sorry, FUUSA is the Unitarian Universalist church at the corner of Washington & West, where they meet at a V intersection... g.co/maps/77vqa
It's a GREAT space. Absolutely ideal for our needs, except for one very important factor - it's a church attended by a -very- white-dominant congregation, so it's not a place that many folks of color have a connection with. I'm not sure that the downtown SUNY would be better for that. This is the reason the GA gave us the mandate to rotate the mtg to different neighborhoods. Different neighborhood institutions "belong to" different populations of the city. For instance, the Arbor Hill Trinity after-school center space is staffed, run, & attended by a majority black population. This can help with changing dynamics in the GA in a way that many of us want to see them change.

[dylan]

I had a friend just suggest St. Joseph's church. Amazing space in every way - location in Arbor Hill, big enough, amazingly beautiful. I'm not sure what' it's like in the winter time, or if we will need an indoor assembly, but I thought it was a great idea

[Emma]

Yeah, I was told St Joseph's doesn't have heat. I forget what the other downside to it was.

[Emma]

Now that I think more about it though... October 23rd... A sort of iffy time to not have heat, but with 100+ bodies in the space and people will have their jackets if they need 'em... maybe we should check it out after all. I can call 'em on Monday. I probably misplaced the contact info, if someone has it handy would you send it my way pls?

So should we leave the mtg place undetermined (with FUUSA as back-up) til I can talk to these places on Monday/Tuesday?

[joshred]

I can email the CANY Board of Directors for possible locations. They should have some insight what places would be accomodating and add some diversity. I can ask Corey Ellis as well (the guy who ran against Jerry Jennings in 2009).

[Emma]

CANY?

Good idea to ask Corey. He represented part of Arbor Hill on the Common Council before running against Jennings, so likely has some useful info & relationships there.

[joshred]

Sorry. Citizen Action of NY.

[maryb]

As you consider Accessibility Options for GA (or other) meetings, please consider the following factors in addition to accessibility features of the actual venue: 1. Street lighting in area for meetings ending after sunset, affecting visibility; 2. Distance to/from the nearest CDTA bus stop when weather conditions may pose hazards; 3. General safety of venue neighborhood, with concern for vulnerable, elderly, and/or mobility-challenged attendees. (CDTA Schedule Revisions will go into effect on Nov. 13 and may need to be taken into consideration). Thanks.