In the fall of 2010, a vision to create a locally-owned, sustainable community event and education hub was conceived and formed between a few friends and families, with the founding partners consisting of Rochell Carpenter and Saul and Jessica Saucedo.

The concept centered around engaging local people and businesses to gather community artisans, farmers, and partner organizations and start the Rail River Folk School, focusing on teaching the public sustainable living skills.

In 2012, the three founders, Rocky, Saul, and Jess, had the opportunity to purchase the entire warehouse at 303 Railroad St. SW. They then formed an LLC called the Local 303 Co., LLC. Thus began the slow remodel and opening-up of spaces within the rustic warehouse, all the work done as laborers of love and dedication to the missions of community and sustainability, preserving shared spaces, and helping to support local arts and artisans.

The resulting ad-hoc business partnership is technically a property management company, with (Local 303 Co. as a landlord and a producers’/educators collective (Rail River Folk School) as a tenant. The membership body/ community of “folks” are held together by a shared dedication to the arts and our community and the legal contracts between landlord and tenant.

We are curating a systems approach to sustainable development with intentional partnerships to provide our families and partners space and access to community-building opportunities, to provide a home for events that support local artists and social justice causes, as well as to provide a marketplace for products and services that are localized, just, and sustainable; adding the emerging co-operative would mutually benefit the collective and the consumer. 

​