My thoughts lie firmly entrenched in the fact that this was obviously coming. I, like many, had heard the rumors quite a while ago. There was a little worry and then, it just kind of blew over, however The Space collective had plenty of “warning” that Renal Care was out for their building. Whether or not they were out to make money or whether they were out to build/strengthen a community/scene they could have started to make the move to re-locate, or made a serious offer on the building before the situation got to this point.

I mean, this is a major setback no matter how you look.
I don’t think its impossible for the Space to re-open in a new location, but its going to be a while before anything happens… what happens to the community the Space built now?

I know everyone is trying to be supportive—looking to the bright side. DIY ethics and sloganeering are being tossed about… Yes, the people that made up this community are still here, but how long will it take before a group decides that they’re going to re-build from the ashes?

I see the current collective as tired and worn out.
They’re seeing little fruit from all of their labor.
They’re sad/pissed, just like us, that it has ended this way. (I’ve *heard* that even “some” look at this as somehow, a relief… I don’t believe this however… If anthing I’m guessing this is just denial—hard at work.)

Was this collective perfect?
Did it run the way it should have?

No, probably not.

From what little experience I had with the “inner workings” of the Space… being on the music committee, and geting some of the “lowdown” from Frain… sometimes it was a nightmare, but things got done… eventually… through much debate on some issues, with hardly a whimper on others…

In the long run it was a little too “hippy-ish” for my taste and wasn’t the most effective way of getting things done.

Did they do all they could to “save” the Space?
Was planning in the works for a move?
Were all the facts in their hands to work with?
Did they take it seriously enough?
In the end did this collective “fail us”?

Those are the questions that are welling up inside of me.

In the long run we’ll remember the evil landlord that sold off the building under the feet of a group of idealistic kids that were only really hard at play.
The Space will garner the same reverie that people have for Blake’s, the Comet, 31G, “the way Club Soda used to be,” and whatever else used to be cool…

I haven’t been to the Space in quite a while, but needless to say, I’ll be there on Saturday night to show my support, and pay my respects.

R.I.P.