NSE Building Expansion Campaign

Transforming Downtown while honoring our heritage. 

The maker-space and NSE office renovation project at 33 N Main Street, Upland

 

 

Imagine a community centered, cutting edge, multi-use makerspace and event center focused on outreach and teaching the youth!   A portion of the upper floors of the historic building at 33 N Main Street were previously home to the Masonic Lodge, while the other section has been vacant for many years.  This project will transform this historic building into a 7000+ sq. foot multi-use educational makerspace and new home of NearSpace Education, while honoring the historic main street facade.

With your support, we can transform this historic building into a cutting edge, multi-use education space focused on workforce development, entrepreneurship, advanced manufacturing, and making community connections to inspire the next generation.

 

The Project

The goal of the renovation project is twofold.  First is to create a multi-use makerspace and event hall, with the resources to run any number of hands on educational STEM activities and facilitate connections with advanced STEM industry partners.  The second is to create brand new office space for the NearSpace Education team to expand into, with room to grow in our mission of inspiring, equipping, and impacting our youth with meaningful STEM engagement.

The second and third floors of the historic main street building will be renovated to facilitate the growth and future impact of NSE.  The northern section, which has laid vacant for many years, will be converted into the new multi-use makerspace/education space/event center.  The southern half, previously home to the Masonic Lodge, will be renovated and converted into the new home office of NSE.

Our Vision

Our goal is to inspire, equip, and impact the next generation of STEM students through interactive educational opportunities.  We rely heavily on the learned expertise of our colleagues at NearSpace Launch, with their proven space flight heritage and industry knowledge.

NSE strives to provide authentic, hands-on STEM learning opportunities for the students of Grant County, and create spaces to collectively gather as an Upland Community.  To do this, we have been seeking to improve downtown Upland and facilitate growth within our community.

 

The historic 33 N Main Street Building, future home of NearSpace Education

 

The current state of the building interior, planned to become a multi-use maker-space and event venue.

Why STEM Education?

As the world becomes more and more advanced, the need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills is increasing rapidly!

STEM Education:

• Exposes students to possible future educational and career pathways
• Teaches student critical 21st century skills
• Equips students with the basic knowledge needed to be successful in the STEM workforce
• Prepares students to tackle the complex, multidimensional, modern problems facing this country and the world today.

A STEM maker-space will provide the opportunity to engage the youth of Grant County with impactful educational experiences, as well as engage the community with education based events and opportunities.

How Can You Help?