The Lacey MakerSpace is what some might call an “innovator’s workshop.” Housed on the campus of Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington, the building and its services are available to the school and the public, as well. It’s a space where engineering students can fabricate and test their ideas, community members can gain new skills, small business owners can make their own goods, and people can find opportunities for career exploration.
Through the Lacey MakerSpace, the community has access to a wide variety of high-tech fabrication tools and instructional training by offering classes and workshops in almost any medium including CNC fabrication, metalworking, woodworking, textiles and electronics. It is a partnership between the university, the Thurston Economic Development Council and the City of Lacey to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and the development of new products and services, with the goal of serving as a business incubator and catalyst for advancing the local economy.
The Lacey MakerSpace opened in 2019 and after just a few years of existence it was determined that it had grown to a point where their expanding services and operations required enhancements. Some of these enhancements included electrical upgrades, air filtration, additional pneumatic air compression and distribution lines, additional water supply lines, construction of an exterior concrete pad and cage for housing the air compressors, as well as other interior building modifications. In 2024 these upgrades were completed.
Recognizing the potential for this space to be an economic driver for Thurston County, the Ben B. Cheney Foundation was proud to provide the Lacey MakerSpace with a grant to help fund their facility enhancements.
With those funds, they were able to plan for future programmatic growth and respond to the community’s demands and needs. Since reopening with this enhanced space in February of 2024, they’ve seen a rise in membership signups and daily check-ins, more than doubling last year’s figures.
Learn more about Lacey MakerSpace at: https://laceymakerspace.org/.
Important Announcement regarding the Lacey MakerSpace (October 17, 2024):
On September 19 the Lacey MakerSpace was broken into and burglarized, and according to the Lacey police report it is estimated that $20,000 in tools were stolen from the facility. Since then, some of the stolen items have been recovered. However, approximately $12,000 in equipment has not been found, will not be covered by insurance, and will need to be replaced to bring the space back to its normal level of operations. If you want to help with their recovery efforts by making a monetary donation to Lacey MakerSpace, head to: www.laceymakerspace.org/donate.
