DIY Series Part One: The Warehouse – Philadelphia

For centuries, artists have perfected their crafts in less than perfect environments. Some of the best creative work was composed in lofts or basements of derelict buildings, situated in less than stellar neighborhoods. It’s amazing that, in the middle of all of which seems wrong within those surroundings, something perfect can be created. While there seems to be a skatepark around every corner, most are fenced in, they are usually mundane, sterile and uniform. Having no concern for skating in pens with a list of terms and conditions, or indoor facilities with recycled air, a gift shop and a Snickers machine, the last bastion of our creative subculture retreats to the to the original point of DIY stoke.

Out  east, The Warehouse was originally discussed over beers, at a bar between Mat Yula, Brannon John and Scott Kmiec who discussed the need for something like the Brooklyn’s Autumn Bowl in Philadelphia. Mat found the space on Craig’s List and once he and Scott decided it was the right spot, it was Kmiec who signed the lease. “It was just me on the lease”, Kmiec explains. “I started an LLC and resigned the lease in the company name. That’s how you avoid being personally liable for the space.”

“Within the approximately 3,000 square foot area,” Kmiec said, “we began with a mini ramp which came from key holders Tim Lewis and TJ Hurley who had it in another space.  The construction of the bowl took about nine months, but it wasn’t a continuous construction project. The mini was in place and that was skated for a few weeks, then we’d get some wood and start to bowl it out etc. That went on for a while until Carlos Baiza got involved. Once he stepped in, the place was done four months later. Carlos and Dave Hunt deserve a lot of credit for the final product. They did a tremendous amount of work. Chris Picco, Dave Umlauf and Eric Pauly deserve a lot of credit as well. But again, there are too many people to name. It is totally a group effort.”

With the landlords of New York’s Autumn Bowl and D.C.’s Fight Club both opting for higher rent tenants, I asked Kmiec how long he sees the warehouse able to remain intact.  “After our first year I was able to sign a three year lease. That at least gives you security for a while. So I’m hoping to keep signing for three years at a time until they pull it from us or we’re over it. There’s no telling what the future holds; I’m just happy we’ve made it three years”

Sessions at The Warehouse can pop up on any given night.  There are times when you can’t buy real estate to simply walk the bowl’s perimeter and then there are those unique occasions when it’s just a few friends and a stereo.

The Warehouse and other DIY spots like it prove that seceding from one set of laws, whether in the streets or at skateparks, does not necessarily equal anarchy. Spots like FDR and ‘The Warehouse’ draw upon order, structure, and most of all, rules.  However, they are written and governed on one premise – “That a government of the skaters, by the skaters, and for the skaters, shall not perish from the earth.” It is this form of adaptation that will keep skateboarding as organic as it was meant to be and will remain sovereign forever.

- Derek Rinaldi

Special thanks go out to Bryan Karl Lathrop for providing his spectacular photos for this feature highlighting The Warehouse. Visit his site!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 at 12:12 pm and is filed under Focal Point. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.