If you guys had your own...

gkumar

gkumar

Carbonite Member
Abandoned building that had around 45 classroom size rooms with one huge cafeteria and one giant gym. And it is government property that the government wants to tear down with no future plans. --what would you do with it? Me, I would make it into a movie studio. Convert the many classrooms into soundstages where independents could come and do whatever with a very small fee.--who knows, maybe it can be the next (very cheap) Skywalker ranch for independents. My other friends want to convert it into a paintball arena and charge a small entrance fee for a whole day of play. --what would you do? :beer:

cheers
gagan
 
Hmmm... I suppose my first question would be: Why is it being torn down? Is the building safe? Does it meet building codes in your area or would it require a large investment to make it structurally sound?

As far as the paintball notion: I wonder how much it would cost to insure yourselves for people running through a building with paintball guns? After all, they are accidents waiting to happen.
 
An old school? With school echoes?

You'd probably end up spending as much on sound-deadening as you did on the property. :)

Dan
 
If it's downtown i'd raze it to the ground and lay a parking lot. Make some cash with it :)
 
Okay the school just closed down 2 years ago. The city built a new one about a mile away. They moved the school because there is an oil refinery about 200 yards from it—a huge one. They purify petroleum and make other oil products. And I went to elementary school there about 20 years ago, even my little brother and sister went there. They closed it down because future refinery disasters polluting the air would affect the air. But the funny thing is that the school shut down and there are still low income housing around the school that is still up and running ( damn politicians!) The school is in very good condition ( cement walls!! Good for sound!) But for a few minor acts of vandalism since its closer, the school is in very good shape. I grew up in this area- and nothing is wrong with me! (lol! Made my immunities stronger, probably) But it is a huge school I would like to get permission from the city to turn into a music and movie studio. What do you guys think? I’ve been talking to people and they said I have a chance—Now it’s time to crunch the numbers and actually find an economical efficient path to go down to run the place!! I was thinking renting out the huge rooms to independent filmmakers to build sets/miniatures/ etcetera—and charge really cheap like maybe 500 for two weeks. Any comments and questions?
 
gkumar said:
( cement walls!! Good for sound!)
Click to expand...

Cement walls: bad for sound. Well, actually, good for sound...transmission. Not necessarily through the walls, but along the walls to the next room.

Dan
 
Oh so you don't own the building? It sounds like it would be a paper nightmare to transfer ownership from the local/state government to you. Also, how much capital do you have to buy it with? It's not just the building that's for sale, don't forget the land it's sitting on. Plus you have to factor in zoning laws, insurance, security, etc.

Sorry to be the neighsayer, but in reality there's alot more to it than just them saying "oh sure take this building and do as you please"
 
yeah ..it sounds like a pipe dream, but if youve got loads of cash lying around go for it!. although im not sure you want to build a movie /music studio in a low incom neighborhood.. its bad economically.
 
hey atleast if you turn it into a paintball arena, I would definently play there, the sport of paintballing is to limited to outdoor arenas, a school would be excellent for scenario games

-Matt-
 
yeah we played capture the president, sniper assassins and multi flag wars ---hella fun on a big facility with hella doors



and dammit kai! naw im playing better to have you tell me than have the government chew me out
 
One word of caution regarding the purchase of the property. If there is any environmental damage that is discovered one you own it, you are responsible for it. It doesn't matter how it got there or when it got there. So, for example, if that refinery leaked oil or chemicals into the ground that seeped on over to your property, you'd be responsible for the cleanup. Environmental clean-up for a small property can cost millions. I'm not saying this is the case, but if you're serious about buying, do your due diligence and hire a company to test the soil (among other things).

Matt
 
Now to totally rain on your parade, most old buildings built for the government, like schools, hospitals, administration buildings etc., were not built up to the same code that was required for the general public. Even if they gave you the building it would cost you a fortune bringing it up to code so you could occupy it. Probably more than it would cost to build a new building.

And that's if there's no asbestos...
 
It sounds like a bold dream. There are a million and one things that could be said against it. However, if you think it is a good idea and fits into your goals, at the very least, look into it. What the heck, you never know, you may have the next Sky Walker Ranch or maybe full-fill a Coppola Zoetrope community type thing.
 
I was on a shoot recently that was in a studio made from an old building. Beats a big budget studio any time - the building had a lot of character, and the owner/manager was the super-friendliest guy you can imagine.

I'd make a studio and attach a film school to it (possibly start your own). People may not always have money to rent the studio, but there will always be people who want to study film.
 
That's what i want to do-- just own this thing-- or at least have some sort of control over it's future and turn it into an independent filmmaking studio outside of hollywood- a melting pot various independent filmmakers, where money space restrictions is not a problem. I would really like to build or help build a community very much like this forum (where my inspiration derived) but instead of using 1 and 0 as the building blocks! I really think this would be the ultimate break for everyone of us. We can make a community that is much like Mr.Lucas' (or even P. Jackson), but rather art oriented instead of money oriented ( and when I say this im talking about Lucas).

**can you just imagine-- a bunch of independents coming together, bringing their hvx's and tricked out DVX's working together and putting out films that reach the potential of most hollywood trash. Maybe I’m just up too high in the clouds—but who here would like to a public film studio/school/forum(just as this one)??** I sure would**

right now im planning on talking with two friends who studied law and and an uncle who is a realtor and try to find my next plan of action ( I must bring this oil refinery down! Or at least make the county and the state think that I can do more with the place than just putting in a jumble of oil pipelines!). I’m going in fist first!!!!!
I’ll update soon. Comments ?
 
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