How do we make Webworks work?

Barcamp Cork IV took place in Webworks on Saturday. Excellent event - over 80 web developers, web designers and entrepreneurs gathered to discuss a wide range of topics covering content management systems, e-mail marketing, social media, search engine optimisation, business development, and more. There was a great buzz about the place and you definitely got the sense that Cork was a 'hub' for web publishing and digital media. Unfortunately, it only lasted a day!

Webworks is an Enterprise Ireland-supported centre; it's located on Eglington Street, near the City Hall. The official opening took place in July 2006. The press release talks of the importance of clusters, and claims that the centre "will play a key strategic role in the development of the Region" (see Minister Micheál Martin's press release). The slogan on the property brochure reads "Enterprise Ireland Webworks - The Future Begins Here".

If you visit Webworks today, you're struck by the number of empty offices. And then you notice the diverse nature of the few businesses that are there: landscape gardeners, a firm of architects, a property management company, and a firm of solicitors. An integrated circuit design company appears to be the only IT-related business. Webworks is not a digital hub; it's not a hub of any kind. Given the amount of public money that went into the project, it's starting to look like another example of public sector waste.

So, what can be done to rescue the project? How do we make Webworks work?

George Lee is presenting The Business on RTE Radio 1. On September 4th last, he did a feature on a hub for architects in Dublin. Basically, a group of 25 or so architects and related professionals approached the landlord of some vacant office space on Fumbally Street in Dublin. The landlord agreed to rent individual desk space for a modest fee. This is a win/win situation: the tenants get a centre that facilitates networking and collaboration, while the landlord is now receiving a substantial rental income from a space that was previously empty. At the time of writing, the podcast is available here (the feature is about 20 minutes in).

The Wall Street Journal picked up on the story and included it in a video, citing the Fumbally Exchange as an example of how enterprising Irish people are overcoming the present economic difficulties. At the time of writing, the video is available here (about 8 minutes in).

The key points from the Fumbally Exchange story are:

• It's important to focus on a particular sector (whether it's architects or web publishing). Only then can you offer the benefits of networking and collaboration.
• The involvement of a person or organisation with extensive contacts in that sector is essential. The landlord works with this person to recruit tenants. 
• Now is a good time to do this: it's much easier to foster the development of a hub when property prices have collapsed and rents are low.

So, is anyone interested in trying to get Webworks back on track?