Where can I rent shop space in Portland OR?

October 13, 2011 11:39 AM

I'd like to rent a small and secure garage/shop space in Portland, OR to fix bikes/moto, build things and hide from my girlfriend inside of. ADX/TechShop style space does not seem like it would work for me but feel free to convince me otherwise.

I am all kinds of tired of working on stuff in my tiny little yard, especially as the moistness of winter approaches.

This theoretical space needs to comply to the following specs:

- as close to 24h access as possible
- 110 outlets
- Can be loud as fuck inside of it and nobody is going to care
- Can fit a couple bikes, a motorcycle or two, and a bunch of crap (spare engines, tires, seats, hideous things made of fiberglass)

I would like it to be:

- Reasonably close to SE PDX nearish Powell

Rent-a-Bay seems promising but it is out in the boonies.

If you think I should really just man up and rent a house that has a garage or shed, feel free to say so because that is a viable medium/long term option as well.

posted by beefetish to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

Best answer: Might want to find out where your local artists hang out and work - they have similar needs.
posted by jander03 at 12:29 PM on October 13, 2011

Watershed PDX looks like it might be the place you're looking for.
posted by Mars Saxman at 1:31 PM on October 13, 2011

Response by poster: Mars - Watershed is appealing but those spaces advertised are brutally expensive. I can't afford another 500 bucks a month to rent some space.
posted by beefetish at 1:36 PM on October 13, 2011

Best answer: I used to live in Portland, know the area you're talking about, and used to look for commercial real estate for a former employer. I don't think your budget matches what you need unfortunately... Maybe if you went in with someone else you could swing it though. I'd suggest driving the streets around where the railroad crosses Powell near the river. Look at streets a block or two off Powell. I remember spaces just like what you're looking for that were for rent down there behind the Plaid Pantry just south of Powell and maybe a bit closer to the river.
posted by pwb503 at 1:44 PM on October 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Maybe look into Activspace? They have at least one eastside location. I rented cheap space from them years ago for my business. You would need something on the ground-floor I would imagine to get your motorcycle in and out of but from what I know each location has a variety of spaces - big, outdoor access, small, third-floor no outside access, etc.

When I was there it was full of everyone from artists to small businesses to hobbyists and the noise level varied but overall it was not a quiet space and people blasted music, pounded on things, etc.
posted by click at 3:21 PM on October 13, 2011

Response by poster: ActivSpace looks like it prohibits welding and auto repair at its sites?
posted by beefetish at 3:27 PM on October 13, 2011

FWIW, Techshop (aka 32-ways-to-lose-a-hand-shop) seems to have been shut down for a bit, so it's worth your while to explore other options.
posted by msamye at 1:04 AM on October 14, 2011