SAN FRANCISCO—Wouldn't it be convenient if someone had clear, intelligent answers to most of your CRE-related questions? Problem solved. Nina J. Gruen, a.k.a. Ms. Real Estate, a.k.a. the principal sociologist overseeing market research and analysis at Gruen Gruen + Associates, is here to answer readers' questions.

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Dear Ms. Real Estate:

I am a mid-size developer, and for the last two decades have specialized in mixed-use rental housing projects geared to middle-income households. These projects have frequently been located in the closer-in suburbs. I am intrigued and also concerned with the speed at which our urbanized economies are changing. When I started out in the 90s, who would have forecast Uber and Airbnb? My question is, should I begin to investigate the role new commercial workspaces like Maker Space will play in future years?

—Attaching My Tech Training Wheels.

Dear Tech Training Wheels,

Great question! I, too, am often overwhelmed by the speed of change, and doubt that the two of us are in the minority. Seeking answers to questions like yours is the only way to keep from being run over by fast moving change.

Maker spaces, sometimes referred to as hacker spaces, are creative work places that provide space and equipment to create, invent and learn. These venues are being developed and staffed by service-providing communities, nonprofit organizations and profit-seeking businesses. Increasingly, community colleges are providing such spaces – often in libraries. These “maker space” libraries provide craft and tool supplies, 3D printers, software, electronics and teaching areas. Other examples of specifically designed space and equipment included in maker space development include kitchen/beverage facilities, textile manufacture and fashion design spaces, tech shops, woodworking, electronics, welding, jewelry and glassware facilities. The provided space should be as flexible as possible with storage, display, office and meeting rooms geared to the needs of the anticipated users. Such venues are being built as stand-alone structures and in multi-purpose buildings. Also, older office, warehouse and manufacturing structures are being converted into maker spaces. The equipment included and the way the space is configured must reflect the advanced “state of the art” for the prototype creation, occupational learning and marketing activities of intended users.

Rental rates vary with the scale of per person work and storage space provided, as well as the amount and expense of equipment and operating staffing. Maker spaces for high tech startups are frequently able to generate higher rents than building and woodworking shops.

However, from the perspective of a for-profit developer of a mixed use project, the inclusion of maker space may be analogous to the “anchor tenant” role department stores such as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus played for shopping malls. If one or more of your properties is close to a community college or vocational training center, you might be able to make a financially rewarding deal with these institutions in order to attract nearby market rate rentals and services on the remainder of your property.

Last but certainly not least, if you are located in a higher income, closer in suburb in which Millennials make up at least 25 percent of the population, there may be opportunities for a high tech and design oriented market rate maker space that you can integrate into your mixed-use project.

It is always difficult to predict the speed with which these disruptive uses will alter the marketplace. But Ms. Real Estate has learned from her long time experience that it's better to be a part of developing the new, rather than to wait until you can copy the old. Good luck!