Anyone know of shop/garage rental space in L.A?
11-03-2004, 05:18 PM
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Anyone know of shop/garage rental space in L.A?
I've been looking for something along the lines of shared industrial shop space, mostly for wrenching on my own cars...
Preferably somewhere in or near southbay (i'm in hermosa beach). I know there's a lot of industrial areas around here...
I'm in a beach apartment- dont even have a parking spot... street permit parking (when i can find a spot). Have been keeping my eye out for an apartment with a garage, but not holding my breath anymore.
Back east, used to be able to rent time in an auto shop, after hours... havent found anything like that here. Have been getting threats by local authorities about working on my car on the street, in alleys, bar parking lots, etc...
any ideas?
I've thought about a local community college... maybe an autoshop class that doesnt care if i only show up when i have stuff to do to my car...
share a small shop in the ghetto with a few people to cut the costs (i've got tools/equipment to share)...
find an industrial loft that i can live in and work on my car in the living room...
Give up, let the 951 limp around with it's boost leaks, and take up a new hobby that is apartment friendly...
Preferably somewhere in or near southbay (i'm in hermosa beach). I know there's a lot of industrial areas around here...
I'm in a beach apartment- dont even have a parking spot... street permit parking (when i can find a spot). Have been keeping my eye out for an apartment with a garage, but not holding my breath anymore.
Back east, used to be able to rent time in an auto shop, after hours... havent found anything like that here. Have been getting threats by local authorities about working on my car on the street, in alleys, bar parking lots, etc...
any ideas?
I've thought about a local community college... maybe an autoshop class that doesnt care if i only show up when i have stuff to do to my car...
share a small shop in the ghetto with a few people to cut the costs (i've got tools/equipment to share)...
find an industrial loft that i can live in and work on my car in the living room...
Give up, let the 951 limp around with it's boost leaks, and take up a new hobby that is apartment friendly...
11-03-2004, 06:25 PM
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Sounds like there are quite a few us in the exactly the same boat. I'm find that many areas in SoCal is very strict about cars on the street -- heck a year ago, I was living in Boston and dropped my CV joints right on Newbury Street. The authorities didn't care (okay, but people were looking at me funny....)
These days, I'm paying $200/month for an two-car+ space in an apartment complex about 3 miles away from my own apartment -- the landlord doesn't care if I wrench in there. Up here, typical garage spaces go for around $150/month per car.
I also looked into sharing an industrial space with another car guy (he restores old mercedes), but that would have been $500/month for my share and it would have been big enough for only three cars max, and would have been near downtown. I've also seen Porsche Owners Club type guys with a "club house" -- huge space, with floorspace for six cars inside with alot of workspace around each car (and lots of outside parking space and huge open space with a couple lifts). They were paying around $1400/month in Ventura -- and this space came with an office space that was being used for their real business endeavors.
I think the bottomline for DIY wrenchers: look for a garage space attached to an apartment or a house, make sure the landlord is cool with you wrenching in the space. I found my space listed on craigslist.
These days, I'm paying $200/month for an two-car+ space in an apartment complex about 3 miles away from my own apartment -- the landlord doesn't care if I wrench in there. Up here, typical garage spaces go for around $150/month per car.
I also looked into sharing an industrial space with another car guy (he restores old mercedes), but that would have been $500/month for my share and it would have been big enough for only three cars max, and would have been near downtown. I've also seen Porsche Owners Club type guys with a "club house" -- huge space, with floorspace for six cars inside with alot of workspace around each car (and lots of outside parking space and huge open space with a couple lifts). They were paying around $1400/month in Ventura -- and this space came with an office space that was being used for their real business endeavors.
I think the bottomline for DIY wrenchers: look for a garage space attached to an apartment or a house, make sure the landlord is cool with you wrenching in the space. I found my space listed on craigslist.
11-03-2004, 08:01 PM
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Thing is: I had a house in the Valley that i sold a few months ago... a barn, with space for 10+ cars, easy... fully finished inside, full workshop... Hated the Valley, and really wanted to move back here... guess I didnt fully appreciate the trade-off...
Although the mortgage was killing me...
Although the mortgage was killing me...
11-04-2004, 04:15 PM
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I was totally in your situation until not that long ago; this has come up a few times - there are several people (including me) that would probably go in on a shared space if you want to do some digging. I keep meaning to drive around through north Long Beach (tons of industrial space there), but obviously there are issues with security / access, personal safety, legality, etc.
Personally, I'd like to just find a space ground-level with available power, existing lighting, high windows (that people can't see in) and good locks. Maybe enough room for 4-5 cars to fit in would be good. I just have a hard time getting time off to do it during the week (gotta' make that money to pay for all the toys. . .)
Were you by chance the guy I was talking to outside Coffee Bean there a few weeks ago (I had the white 951 that night)?
Personally, I'd like to just find a space ground-level with available power, existing lighting, high windows (that people can't see in) and good locks. Maybe enough room for 4-5 cars to fit in would be good. I just have a hard time getting time off to do it during the week (gotta' make that money to pay for all the toys. . .)
Were you by chance the guy I was talking to outside Coffee Bean there a few weeks ago (I had the white 951 that night)?
11-04-2004, 04:52 PM
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Porshe-O-Phile- nope, dont think we've talked... although i am at that coffee bean and the starbucks right next to it pretty often. i've got the only dark blue 951 i've seen around so feel free to wave me down...
I've been half thinking of moving to a live-in industrial place... figure i pay a silly amount for an apartment a block off the beach... with no parking... and no real space inside for much of anything. Beach area parking sucks. might even post on a local billboard, to see if someone wants to sublet their apartment garage...
Long beach seems like a logical place to look. Dont know the area at all, but gotta start driving around checking it out. Someone mentioned San Pedro, too.
I had found a place in Redondo, very close to the harbor... but it didnt work out.
I've been half thinking of moving to a live-in industrial place... figure i pay a silly amount for an apartment a block off the beach... with no parking... and no real space inside for much of anything. Beach area parking sucks. might even post on a local billboard, to see if someone wants to sublet their apartment garage...
Long beach seems like a logical place to look. Dont know the area at all, but gotta start driving around checking it out. Someone mentioned San Pedro, too.
I had found a place in Redondo, very close to the harbor... but it didnt work out.
11-04-2004, 05:13 PM
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Yea, but most apartments have "you can't work on your cars" clauses in them. Mine similarly does, but it's just a typical boilerplate B.S. lease meant to protect insurance companies. My landlord is really cool and doesn't enforce it and doesn't care what I do in there so long as I don't burn the place down. Only problem is it's a shared garage so I do have neighbors to contend with, but they're likewise pretty cool and as long as I don't go doing engine swaps or welding in there or leaking crap all over the garage floor, they're not an issue.
I'd still prefer a warehouse type space with more room that I can just go nuts in, as would most other ppl on here. I'm also running out of places to store parts. I imagine any kind of deal you'd find would be a little bit shady, kind of "under the table" just because of liability. You can probably still find a really cool building owner that will "look the other way" and let you do whatever you want, but it might take some looking and some word-of-mouth referrals.
Another issue is disposal - we have to be certain that we're not dumping fluids on the ground or into drains - work clean, recycle stuff, etc. First off, it's just plain wrong. Second, the city will likely fine the building owner a pretty penny for it and that'll be the end of any arrangement.
I'll keep my eyes open but admittedly I haven't been looking all that hard; if anybody finds something, please let everyone else know - there are at least four or five people that would be interested in this area.
I'd still prefer a warehouse type space with more room that I can just go nuts in, as would most other ppl on here. I'm also running out of places to store parts. I imagine any kind of deal you'd find would be a little bit shady, kind of "under the table" just because of liability. You can probably still find a really cool building owner that will "look the other way" and let you do whatever you want, but it might take some looking and some word-of-mouth referrals.
Another issue is disposal - we have to be certain that we're not dumping fluids on the ground or into drains - work clean, recycle stuff, etc. First off, it's just plain wrong. Second, the city will likely fine the building owner a pretty penny for it and that'll be the end of any arrangement.
I'll keep my eyes open but admittedly I haven't been looking all that hard; if anybody finds something, please let everyone else know - there are at least four or five people that would be interested in this area.
11-04-2004, 07:16 PM
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What would people be willing to pay? I think commercial real estate space (even for industrial areas) are going for around $1 per square foot. If you want comfortable working space, that's what -- 15 feet by 8 feet? Probably a high number, but that's $120/month in rent.
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11-04-2004, 07:23 PM
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Here's a typical example -- $1150 for 900 square feet. How many cars can we fit in 900 square feet?
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/off/47672723.html
I also get the feeling that commercial real estate is priced with the market for businesses in mind -- and businesses can write-off rent against their income. It's not too different from mortgage deductions. In our cases, we'll have to eat the whole thing -- no tax benefit for us.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/off/47672723.html
I also get the feeling that commercial real estate is priced with the market for businesses in mind -- and businesses can write-off rent against their income. It's not too different from mortgage deductions. In our cases, we'll have to eat the whole thing -- no tax benefit for us.
11-04-2004, 10:13 PM
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Unless we form a cooperative or a corporation of some sort. If we form a corporation with "membership fees" or something for use / storage to defray the costs, you have a source of revenue to show and a legal way to write off the costs.
11-04-2004, 10:29 PM
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damn... $1/sq foot. Wish my apartment was that cheap 
it's not even a "nice" place, and it's near $2k/month... for a small 2 bed, 1 bath place with no real view, no parking, and oddly low ceilings in the stairways. In fact, if it was anywhere other than the beach, i'd probably be condemned. probably should be, anyway. I pay another $50/month for parking in a city owned multi-level public parking structure about 3 1/2 blocks away- that im strictly prohibited from doing anything to my car in (but it has 24 hour/day security).
I remember a couple years ago, a group of people formed a non-profit "club", and had a shop space in Burbank. Unsure of the details, but it was tax deductable. "The Shifters" car club... old-school hot rods. Pretty slick setup they had/have.
it's not even a "nice" place, and it's near $2k/month... for a small 2 bed, 1 bath place with no real view, no parking, and oddly low ceilings in the stairways. In fact, if it was anywhere other than the beach, i'd probably be condemned. probably should be, anyway. I pay another $50/month for parking in a city owned multi-level public parking structure about 3 1/2 blocks away- that im strictly prohibited from doing anything to my car in (but it has 24 hour/day security).
I remember a couple years ago, a group of people formed a non-profit "club", and had a shop space in Burbank. Unsure of the details, but it was tax deductable. "The Shifters" car club... old-school hot rods. Pretty slick setup they had/have.
11-05-2004, 03:27 AM
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While I'd love for there to be a "Rennlist club shop", I would not be willing to pitch in money in the order of $200/month -- even if it is tax deductible (I couldn't use it I have too many tax schemes going already...). I still think the alternative of renting garage space from apartments or houses and being nice to the landlord is more cost-effective. Well, short of moving....
