It seems like the conflict between #1 and #2 is the big challenge (and opportunity) here.
#2 posits that people (and thus their companies) get great benefit from being close to each other and able to exchange ideas rapidly as the mood/need/opportunity strikes.
#1 posits that telecommuting will take over the world because people tend to prefer flexibility and simplicity over artificially synchronized schedules and forced face-to-face appearances.
Hacker spaces (and the collection-of-lean-startup-labs type places) are great for small scale things, but could "telecommuting centers" work out just as well as commuter/carpool parking lots in the DC area? Combine Internet access, power, and (maybe?) mid-scale video conference + smart whiteboard facilities. Large companies can spread their workforce out around the country and pay into these spaces based on the employee-hours worked there.
#2 posits that people (and thus their companies) get great benefit from being close to each other and able to exchange ideas rapidly as the mood/need/opportunity strikes.
#1 posits that telecommuting will take over the world because people tend to prefer flexibility and simplicity over artificially synchronized schedules and forced face-to-face appearances.
Hacker spaces (and the collection-of-lean-startup-labs type places) are great for small scale things, but could "telecommuting centers" work out just as well as commuter/carpool parking lots in the DC area? Combine Internet access, power, and (maybe?) mid-scale video conference + smart whiteboard facilities. Large companies can spread their workforce out around the country and pay into these spaces based on the employee-hours worked there.