Photo by Jesse Chambers.
John Rhymes and Kat Steel at Red Mountain Makers’ current home in Woodlawn.
Red Mountain Makers, a nonprofit co-operative workshop and laboratory (also known as a makerspace), has operated on the first floor of Woodrow Hall in Woodlawn since it began in 2013.
But RMM — with about 40 members — has outgrown the 5,000-square-foot space, formerly a medical clinic, and needs a larger facility, according to John Rhymes, a maker and a member of the group’s advisory circle.
“Our front room is our main activity room and our classroom, so if we have a class, we don’t have that space to work,” Rhymes said.
The makers are seeking a facility with at least 6,000-7,000 square feet and a more open floor plan than the old clinic, according to Rhymes.
“We need an office or warehouse setting, but with parking for 20-30 people if we have a class or a group,” Rhymes, a coder and programmer who is an internal auditor for Southern Company.
The group would also like to be more centrally located, perhaps downtown, according to Rhymes.
Makers would like more room to spread out, including “clean areas” for electronics and “dirty areas” for welding or woodworking, Rhymes said.
RMM provides space for such diverse activities as fiber arts, woodworking, computers, software and plant-based medicines. The rent for the new space will have to be affordable, according to Rhymes.
“We are all-volunteer, all self-funded,” he said.
Rhymes appeared before the Birmingham City Council on Oct. 3 to ask if the city could help the group find a new facility. Councilor Valerie Abbott asked Rhymes if he could supply members with more information about RMM.
To contact the group, write to info@redmountainmakers.org.
