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Santa Clarita Telebusiness Center

This center, located in the Valencia Industrial Center, has been operated by the Santa Clarita Valley Transportation Management Association since March 1994. It occupies approximately 3,500 square feet of space and contains 15 open-area workstations, five private offices, a videoconference room with a capacity of 40 to 50 people, fax/copy/mail services, fiber optic wiring, and a shuttle service to residences in Santa Clarita Valley. The only physical change to the site since the last report is the addition of electronic equipment including a satellite dish on the roof. Equipment is being installed that will allow the center to establish a Wide Area Network (WAN) that connects it with schools, city offices, the hospital, newspapers, and other groups. It is designed to complement the videoconferencing capabilities and other services that were previously offered at the site.

Marketing efforts have included newspaper advertisements headlined with, "How can you be more productive? Don't go to work." The ads have had some success generating inquiries and increasing awareness. The center's plan, outlined in the December 1994 report, to contact each of the employers on a list obtained from the South Coast Air Quality Management District has been completed. A brochure and folder describing the Santa Clarita Telebusiness Center were mailed to all companies in Los Angeles County with employees living in the telecenter's zip code. The director of the center characterized the results as moderately successful.

Among the corporate sponsors who have donated equipment or software to the center are Intel, PictureTel, Microsoft, Lockheed, and Edison. The center is currently in the second year of a grant from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Administrators hope to be self-sufficient after this year. Although usage charges remain $400 per month for a private office and $175 per month for a workstation, the center no longer routinely waives rent for the first three months.

The center currently leases space to 18 different employers. An average of 18 - 20 people use the center's workstations each day, and the conference room is used approximately 20 days each month. Developers are creating a learning center to further expand the usage of their conference room/classroom facilities. TQM and engineering classes are now regularly conducted in the facility by a local corporation.

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