I've had no problem bringing in a load of equipment on a 2 wheeler at the library and the elevator is fine. I have had concerns about my safety downtown, but have had no problems yet. I have found a parking lot through the alleyway across the street from the library, but it is quite a way to haul PC hardware or a heavy laptop and accessories. I have found the library's wireless to suck and the network to be slow to hand out DHCP. I have often brought my own wireless router to make DHCP work faster for everyone. I've also often brought extra CAT5 cables for those that forget them. I'd assume a technical business would have plenty of those and no need to drag my "Be Prepared" bag with me. We'd also have plenty of time to complete a Linux install and not leave someone hanging.
My most recent concern with the meeting place is that if I go on a Wed., I go after dropping my kids off; I have Wed. night visitation. So I go right at 8, drive downtown and then have about 45 min. of geek-out til everyone goes to Denny's. So sometimes I wait and just go straight to Denny's to meet everyone. Or I say to hell with it and just don't go. I'd rather drive a bit further to Vital Site and know I could drag in hardware and maybe a meal from a place of my choice. I hate Denny's, they're random crappy service and their lack of ANY WiFi. If someone wants to work on a technical problem at Denny's or any other restaurant, they must beware of food/drink hazards and usually need some Internet connection. Maybe at Vital Site there could be a designated food table away from hardware.
Although it might suck for a while to change the meeting place (it did when the library moved), it sounds like a vastly improved location. I assume the bathrooms are closer than the ones at the library? I think we would be remiss to not at least make a trial meeting there and see how we like it.
Brian Kelsay "You're one of those readers, aren't ya?"