Trying to decide on a building...

[vsr600]

I've been looking for a new place for my studio in town for a while and I just found this warehouse. It's in a pretty good location, it's away from any big highways and below the road leading up to it even on the side of a hill. Also the owner already has agreed to let me do whatever I want to it as far as construction goes....
It's just a little too big though, I think half of it would make a good studio. Also it has (obviously) two HUGE garage doors on it... what have you guys who have garage doors on your studio spaces done to treat them? Anyway you guys think I should hold out till something else shows up on the market or jump on this one?
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[TheStevens]

if you get it, turn the other half into a rehearsal studio and make more moeny.

or just make a huge live room. or both.

[drumsound]

No such thing as too big. There are a million ways to use space, bigger live room, B studio, (as mentioned) rehearsal rooms, storage, another business that actually makes a profit etc etc. Will the landlord let you take out the garage doors?

[Cyan421]

If I were building a sudio in a space like that i would be building new walls on the inside that are not part of the outside walls. Just build one of those new walls in front of one of the garage doors. Make and entrance/lounge area in front of the other garage door.

[bickle]

Chase Park Transduction in Athens is in a very similar space, and built out just as cyan suggested. It's a pretty serious, complex design - you might be able to find some pictures online. They did a lot of work, but it's a great space - two separate control rooms, a small live room, a larger live room, several isolation booths, a couple lofts, and some unfinished storage. And there's room left over for ping-pong!

[vsr600]

cool thanks for all the ideas guys... yea the landlord said I could basically do anything I wanted with the building short of tearing it down. I'm actually thinking about opening an all ages venue or maybe partnering with another local and making a separate studio with the extra space. It's got big offices built into it already on the left sides of each part (where the windows and the left doors are) which probably would provide pretty good isolation between the two halfs. I still might have to float the floors though, I haven't done any tests inside yet...

[Rigsby]

I'd definitely set it up as a rehearsal room. It may actually keep you alive and fed in a difficult period.

[Meriphew]

If you're just leasing/renting the building, I'd be pretty leary about spending alot of money on construction. If it were me, I'd find a decent place you can buy (within your budget). It seems a waste of money (unless you're in NY/London/SF/LA/etc) when you live in a city where real estate is semi affordable. Just another point of view.