Philly Area Office Space

[TomFulp]

For years now, I've tossed around the idea of a Newgrounds office space. With the plans I have for this coming year, an office space is starting to look more and more necessary.

So I figured, I might as well ask - does anyone out there have any background in commercial real estate, or does anyone know of any cool old buildings for sale in the Philadelphia area? I would like to stay outside of the city limits, along the northern border. I'd be interested to learn of anything available in the area, however.

I'm looking for old wharehouses, abandoned factories, anything that involves an old, solid building that can be spruced up in an "urban loft" sort of way to make a cool office space. It's ok if it's bigger than you think we need - I am open to checking out anything right now. So far I haven't had much luck with researching commercial real estate on the web, which is why I'm asking you guys.

I have personally grown weary of working from home. Sure, it is great to roll out of bed every morning and get straight to work... But I just don't work the way I did back when I worked in an office (I'm talking about before NG became my career). When I go out to San Diego, I'm energized by the office space - a group of like-minded individuals all working towards a similar goal. You lose touch with that when you work from home.

So I was thinking, there have to be other people out there like me. More and more people who telecommute and have started to grow lonely. Perhaps you want to go back to an office, but don't want to go back to the fixed hours or the manager looking over your shoulder.

This is a big hypothetical, but I was thinking that if I could find a big enough space, it would be cool to bring in other creative people who would otherwise be working from home. Not as NG staff necessarily, but more to just energize the place. That would be a big undertaking, though, so I dunno what the potential would be. I think it would have to be people who are close to NG... But I'm just tossing around ideas. This part is unlikely. :)

But anyway, if anyone has any ties or information about commercial properties in the Philly area, let me know!

That sounds like a good idea.. At first I thought you were going to make a flash.. like Office Space.... ALAS! An idea!

[WhoaOutOfControl]

Does it have to be in philedelphia? cuz i know tons of spaces in the SF Bay Area

[Afro-Ninja]

eh, I only live a few states over... maybe I'll come up when I get out of college :)

[MattTheParanoidKat]

Thats seens like a great chance to make Newgrounds run a little better and make the staff alot happier.Because the people won't be so crowded.Tom this is a great idea. signed,Angel_Of_Death1313...............leader of the RAB fan-club

[ikon]

Hey Tom go to www.commercial-real-estate.cc and then just enter your info.

Your'e welcome,
Spit-fire2003

[shak3s]

Although not that familiar w/ Philadelphia, I know the available space in my area would be moslty found in space that former manufacturers & software companies lost during the shrinkage from 2000 till now. With the constant rise in blue chips on the Dow, you should make personal inquiries rather thatn look at what is being advertised. Soon, (by May) those rents are going back up.

[poxpower]

O.O

That's one of the best ideas I've ever heard actually. Holy crap I wish I lived in Philly so I could go work in that kind of space.

I noticed the same thing as you, when I'm in college, I work like nuts, and only on college stuff, but when you're home, you get distracted by the tv, the internet and all that stuff.
Its hard to work hard when you're TOO comfortable.

Well I wish you the best of luck Tom, and I wish I lived in Philly : ( Damn Canada, why does it have to be so far away from.. places??

[Magna]

At 12/16/03 11:16 PM, TomFulp wrote: so I dunno what the potential would be. I think it would have to be people who are close to NG... But I'm just tossing around ideas. This part is unlikely. :)

But anyway, if anyone has any ties or information about commercial properties in the Philly area, let me know!

Would you be literally paying these people? Sounds really weird man... like if a fellow BBS poster became an admin or something.

Wow, that would definitley be different, but definitley what this site needs.

But, like you said, its unlikeley. :-P

[MissenLinx]

shit aye NG is going big

[unclemike]

heh at first I thought you we're talking about a newgrounds "office space" movie parody. that'd be great.

oh shit. someone probably just stole my idea right about now. haha if i see that flash on NG that'd rock.

[SecretAgentBob]

I think that's an excellent idea and I wish you the best of luck. You're right, working from home makes you, well I wouldn’t say "lazy", but more or less unmotivated in a way.

I think creating a professional (but Newgroundsy) office environment would certainly beef up not only productivity but work interest. You could also use this environment to focus on expanding to other potential markets using the built-in Newgrounds name recognition as more or less free publicity.

To sum it up, I think an office is a great step towards not only possible future expansion, but also increased interest in what you do day to day (I mean, your work is a huge part of your life, you might as well make it as interesting and exiting as possible).

I don't know anything about real estate, but I can say this - don't settle for anything that you're not fully into. But of course I'm sure you already know that :)

[XkwiziTOnE]

Say word that sounds like an idea......and a useful one at that, but also i was wondering will you be hiring employees to help out and work there with you?.........

[TESM]

Like SAB and yourself, Tom, I'd say after a while, the homefront gets too repetative and boring. It's hard to work, and distractions are easy. Hopefully your plan will work out for the best! I'm a bit too young to help with anything else than a prayer and my support... Being a poor teen, the idea of living in a 'house' and a 'warehouse' almost is inimaganible (if that's a word and spelled correctly). Think in the far long run if this is truly a good idea... because those ideas that are bad sour fastest.
However, it looks like it has a solid purpose and foundation... so hopefully it'll take root... ya got a lot of fans... maybe you'll find some who flock! good luck as i've said... work hard!

[NewgroundsSPG]

At 12/16/03 11:16 PM, TomFulp wrote: Stuff

Tom,I live in South Philadelphia..Would you like for me to look for some buildings for sale?If you read this,you can get intouch with me by either IMing on AIM,Which my screenname is southsideNGArmy or you can E-Mail me at [e-mail]
I'm always signed on, and I always check my E-Mail..I might even know a few Real Estate people,too

[Dukio]

Move down to Florida and I'l help you out. The weather's nicer and the women are better, too.

[Carmilla]

At 12/16/03 11:16 PM, TomFulp wrote: But anyway, if anyone has any ties or information about commercial properties in the Philly area, let me know!

Sorry, but I'm in Tampa, FL. If you decide to come down here, I'll hook you up. :-)

[AntiTanner]

You could be on to something. If you get a nice big building you can section it off and rent out the sections to different people like yourself. I can see this happening.

[iscrulz]

sorry to be a burden but I dont not dwell near philly nor acknowledge gentials who occupy thems with commerical realty.

[DANARKY]

This is a very good idea Mr. Fulp. great concept. you should be able to find alot of empty buildings in Pennsylvania. Then again, you know how many people will work for you, but yet at the same time, several of the fans are spread throughout the country? that would be a flaw. but I see how you want this. ver y creative.

If this goes well, you can spread work spaces for NG through the US, like 1 NG office building in every state. This could get people to work, and feel like they are helping the NG community. Just a little suggestion. But it is your idea. Go nuts with it!

[disingenuous]

i live in philly. you can work out of my basement. kidding.

i will ask around for you. maybe my dad knows.

[Needle]

Very cool concept. The Needle Industries team would totally haul ass to Philly to be a part of this. We do all our stuff within the comfort of our apartment, and it's very easy to get sidetracked with other things.

And just to reiterate what Hannibal222 already said, if it's commercial space you're looking for, we've got a ton in San Francisco. The dot-com bust totally cleared out the city, and we've got a lot of empty buildings just waiting for creative energy!

[Andy-Parker]

Why dont u rent out a big wherehouse or something? You could make it like the place where hans on zoolander lives.

[fourchinnigan]

Is this the beginning of NG Inc.?

[jasoNicman]

i don't know of any real estate, so i can't help ya there. But when you do get a place i live near enough to come visit and see where all the NG magic happens :D

[hidnrainbo]

You could just rent a studio apartment. It'd probably be much cheaper.

I got a friend who rented two apartments side-by-side. He lived in one and ran a marketing firm out of the other. Every morning he would get up and go next door to do his work. He also had 3 other people working out of there.

Of course, being the person I am (selfish, inconsiderate and always cussing when I get a server too busy error) I would whisper in your ear to take the money you would use for office space and spend it on more servers and bandwidth. But that's just me.

[lightning]

At 12/17/03 01:47 AM, fourchinnigan wrote: Is this the beginning of NG Inc.?

lol me be but don't think so

good luck tom btw =]

[Sekky]

Not to be a bitch or anything, but what it is that you do exactly when you 'work'? The site is self-sufficient more or less.

[Daikun]

I think this should help you, Tom.

http://www.philadelphia.com/realestate/index.shtml

[DanPaladin]

Tom has superglued his buttcheeks to the desk for The Behemoth! Don't you dare call him lazy!

newgrounds doesn't just run itself either you know :) have to sift through all the submissions and find the best ones to put on the front page and wallow through the database then pay the gigantic hosting bill!

i love this warehouse thingie idea. i'd love to work around other people which is of course why I'm moving to philly in January.

there was this old place I worked where it was a giant warehouse and desks, and you could yell across the whole thing to the other departments while keeping everyone else involved. there wasn't a ton of chitchat so it was really really effective. so I can really see this idea coming alive.

now we just need to sign up for a sam's club, or costco, or whatever they have in philly and stock the fridge to attract the other local energizers!