ASTORIA, QUEENS - A group of journeyman carpenters who have learned and built furniture in the Astoria area would like to start hammering away at their own neighborhood wood shop.
The Astoria Woodworkers Collective was founded in the summer of 2020 by a group of local residents concerned about the lack of woodworking space in western Queens.
Today, the collective is a registered nonprofit that offers classes and has built everything from store shelves to Little Free Libraries to a beehive enclosure, along with community organizations like Earth & Me, Astoria Park Alliance, The Rolling Library and Tikkun BBQ.
But this nomadic existence was limited and forced the collective to give virtual conferences and develop projects at the local level.
So organizers have set their sights on a physical location for their boards and nails: The collective has an upfront storefront on Astoria Blvd.
© Provided by Patch A version of the upcoming store at 12-10 Astoria Blvd. (courtesy of Astoria Woodworkers Collective)Looking to renovate the space for use as a community woodworking shop, the collective launched a Kickstarter fundraiser seeking $36,000 in donations.
"There are few opportunities for people in the neighborhood to get hands-on and make physical things. We have some great art spaces, but nothing custom-built for woodworking," said board chairman John Bohlmeyer. . a press release.
"With AWC we are building a one-stop shop dedicated to woodworking. We make our membership as accessible as possible. We welcome both experienced woodworkers and beginners who just want to explore the trade."
The commercial space will allow the collective to hire more members, train them in carpentry and safety skills and help them start their own projects.
© Provided by Patch A common member cuts a spoon. (Courtesy of Astoria Woodworkers Collective)"The space will also help us continue to support the community with projects similar to those we've completed in recent years and provide us with a base of operations," Bohlmeyer said.
The Kickstarter ends on January 8 and offers rewards for donations, including a subscription to the instrument library, class cards and early access to the Woodshop starting in March.
Among the collective's supporters is Elizabeth O'Connor, director of the Moore Jackson Cemetery and Community Garden in Woodside, with whom the collective worked to build a sandpit, beehive enclosures, a solar plant and a dollhouse.
"AWC Woodshop must pay," O'Connor said in a statement.
"Not only are they a great group of people who give back to their community every chance they get, but their mission is very important: to make woodworking more accessible in our backyard."
Learn more about the campaign on the Kickstarter page or about the Astoria Woodworkers Collective on their website.
The post Astoria Carpenter's Group Wants to Fix Your Home appeared first on Astoria-Long Island City Patch.
