A journey into the Unknown

Greg, I am learning to dislike those with bigger shops than mine (just kidding) as I have helped Marty out a couple of times and know that it is hard work. On the other hand, it sure is fun when the plan starts to come together. Best of luck on the adventure and I hope that you can enjoy the business side as much as the craftsmanship. I practice woodwroking as a hobby and hope to one day retire from corprate life an dcreat as the mood hits me. Making money on the side would be good too. Please keep us apprised of your progress as we love a good story with a happy ending.
 
DOH!

Bad news..... The zoning nazis say my building is not zoned for light industiral, only local commercial( retail, storage, etc.) Not sure what to do. Too much time and money invested so far. Owner claims she had no idea.... I belive her. She used to run a print shop and thought it would be fine to have a woodshop there. Need some advice on what I should do... Rent is due next week. Should I cut my losses now or just move in and do it and make an area in the front for a show room. No lease has been signed yet..... I called her and she is waiting for my answer. I gave her 500.00 as a deposit to let me start working on getting the shop together. I will consider this time served. I put about 600.00 in electical work trying to get it up to code. 325.00 on a dumpster that the neighbors kindly filled up for me :mad: and about a weeks worth of labor.

Greg
 
Any other buildings around?
Maybe a quick run to the zoning commission to make sure?
 
Owwwwch. that sux:eek: . I think that in the long run you be better off cutting your losses. I know a local WW that bought a business that been there for 14 year, now all he gets is hassels from the city. They want him to spend mega $$$ just to continue operating. He is fighting them but he knows that in the long run he won't be able to fight city hall. He figure he has about a year before he need to have plan B in effect.
 
greg, spend a day at the city/county offices trying to either get it rezoned or a variance.......after that if you`ve been unproductive cut-n-run.....sorry man! that`s why lotsa shops are in the county, much laxer regs, if any....tod
 
I think Tod's advise is the most sound. If the owner ran a printing company on the same site she had to have a license. Check into it and if it turns out that she did you may be able to make a case with zoning for a "grandfather" variance. If not, then you have been mislead.
 
greg,

just wanted to say good luck. i really hope somehow you can find a way out of this and continue on. If not, maybe there is a better space available for you out there that will require less work to get it ready for your shop.

good luck
chris
 
Bad news..... The zoning nazis say my building is not zoned for light industiral, only local commercial( retail, storage, etc.) Not sure what to do. Too much time and money invested so far. Owner claims she had no idea.... I belive her. She used to run a print shop and thought it would be fine to have a woodshop there. Need some advice on what I should do... Rent is due next week. Should I cut my losses now or just move in and do it and make an area in the front for a show room. No lease has been signed yet..... I called her and she is waiting for my answer. I gave her 500.00 as a deposit to let me start working on getting the shop together. I will consider this time served. I put about 600.00 in electical work trying to get it up to code. 325.00 on a dumpster that the neighbors kindly filled up for me :mad: and about a weeks worth of labor.

Greg
I would be up front about this and not try to sneak in a shop. Spend a fixed amount of time (say a week) attempting to get a variance, then if you do not have one or a very very strong indication that you will have one, bail out.
 
Oh man I'm sorry to hear that. I hate to say it but IMO you're going to be better off to cut and run. I don't know about you locality, but in my area variances are few and far between. My family owns a business that is "non-conforming". It's a flower shop in an area of light industrial/office. The business was started in 1948 by my grandfather and has been owned and run by at least one member of the family ever since. In 1976 we had a fire that almost completely put us out of business. We were lucky because we were allowed to rebuild and get back in operation. If there had been any more damage than there was we would have been out of luck. We were able to save just enough of the original structure to let the city allow us to get back up and running.

I would think to grandfather in a business in a non-conforming use it would have to be the same type of business. I doubt that they would allow a business change from one non-conforming to another.

Good luck if you decide to still pursue this location.

John
 
Ok.... Here is the deal. I have decided to cut my losses and run. I will talk to the owner tomorrow. The deposit will probably be hard to get back. I will consider it a costly lesson.

I found a building today for the about the same cost, better location, in an industrial park, mins away from my plywood supplier, near the airport, has a loading dock, 2 offices and a showroom and much bigger and ready to move in. I have checked out all the details with the city and all is good. Now I just have to come up with the funds to move in.

Any one need a Harley in excellent condition ;)

I wll keep you updated.


Greg

I will not let these obstacles keep me down or hold me back. In order to be sucessful I need to do the things others don't.
 
Ok.... Here is the deal. I have decided to cut my losses and run. I will talk to the owner tomorrow. The deposit will probably be hard to get back. I will consider it a costly lesson.

I found a building today for the about the same cost, better location, in an industrial park, mins away from my plywood supplier, near the airport, has a loading dock, 2 offices and a showroom and much bigger and ready to move in. I have checked out all the details with the city and all is good. Now I just have to come up with the funds to move in.

Any one need a Harley in excellent condition ;)

I wll keep you updated.


Greg

I will not let these obstacles keep me down or hold me back. In order to be sucessful I need to do the things others don't.


Sounds like a much better deal on the building ;)
 
Greg,

Sorry that palce didn't work out for you...but things happen for a reason. Sounds like the place you found is better all around.

Good luck and keep us informed...
- Marty -
 
Great, another guy with a HUGE shop for me to be jealous of........ :rolleyes::D

Can't wait to see the pics! :thumb:

Cheers!

Stu,
don't worry that his is bigger than yours. You know what they say.... It's not how big it is, it's what you do with it. :D :D :D

Sorry I couldn't resist. ;)

Glad to hear you found a new place Greg. I think whatever money you lost on the first deal is money well spent. Sometimes it's better to walk away. About 12 years ago I walked away from almost $3K on a land deal gone wrong. We had offered to purchase some land and I was going to build a house. I paid for a survey and purchased plans and everything. About six weeks into our 90 day "escow period" I found out that we were less than 1/2 mile from a class three contaminated site! We were planning on a well. There was NO WAY I was going to sink a well in that location no matter what a current test said. It was going to cost around $40K to bring city water to the site and the seller refused to kick in with ANY of the cost so I cut my losses and killed the deal. Like I said, I walked away from almost $3K but that was money well spent IMO. I wasn't going to risk my family's health by sinking a well that close to a contaminated site!

Good luck in your venture!

John
 
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Sounds like the new place will work out better than the first one. Even though there was a bit of money lost, maybe you'll make it up by not having to spend on changes to the new place. Here's hoping for lots of success in your new venture.
 
greg, industrial park means 3-phase "pot" power........keep the scoot and put your phase converter up for sale instead........pictures! tod
 
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