Tag Archives: Workspace Design

The Department Adds Unique Flavor to Local Co-Working Blend

The Department Adds Unique Flavor to Local Co-Working Blend

March 31st, 2016

Ask a freelancer or lone entrepreneur where they get their work done, and you might get a list of the valley’s nicest coffee shops. But as co-working spaces become more common, enterprising workers are finding alternatives to the coffee shop and enjoying the flexibility and support these spaces offer.

Workspace,central phoenix,downtown,historicCollaborative work environments have evolved from something only a few ultra cool companies did, to commonplace corporate designs, and ultimately, to sprouting independent co-working entities unto themselves. One of the first spaces to make a big splash in the Phoenix market was CO+HOOTS, the collaborative workspace that is currently expanding to their second location in midtown.

downtown phoneix,workspace,centralOne of the newest additions to our co-working scene is The Department, a downtown collaborative workspace, which held their grand opening in January. They offer their version of the freelancer’s gym membership in tiers, beginning with daily access to open space, where individuals can work in more structured setting than their home or a coffee shop. They also have access to printing, Wi-Fi, coffee, and the possibility of meeting someone new. Larger businesses can upgrade to dedicated desk spaces, and even more established teams can pay monthly dues for the dedicated offices that line the edges of the space.

The Department occupies the sixth floor of 1 N. First St., just one below its parent company and building owner, Marketplace One, a private investment firm. Instead of leasing the open space to a new business, the team at Marketplace One decided to build a collaborative space that would welcome a more diverse mixture of professionals and ventures to downtown.

The promise of collaboration lives just under the surface in these spaces, but encouraging people to actually talk to one another relies on a delicate blend of design and chemistry.

Matthew Moore, founder of Urban Plough Arts, is the lead designer for furniture at The Department, and he describes the challenge inherent in making a space for working that also makes people feel at ease and relaxed. The welcoming design and mix of talent leads to an organic experience, bringing together people from different levels and types of business. 

“When you come off of the elevator, there is a controlled expanse so it’s not just a sea of desks … you feel welcome when you come in,” he said.

The Department is flooded with light; private offices line the walls and freestanding clusters of desks center on the open working tables that take up the middle of the floor. The kitchen windows were deliberately left unobstructed, and the dining space itself is communal, encouraging members to unplug and say hello as they grab a bite.

The Department will hopefully become the living room of the building, Moore said, as he and the Marketplace One team expand this concept to another floor in the building. The need for flexible spaces for entrepreneurs of every kind is there, he said, and they hope to perpetuate the success of The Department, which is filling up quickly.

If you haven’t yet moved into central or downtown Phoenix, this is a fantastic way to spend some time while you work. If you are considering buying a home for sale in any one of the historic Phoenix districts or anywhere in the Central Corridor, call Laura B., from HistoricPhoenixDistricts.com.

Photos courtesy of The Department.

 

Cool Spots to Work Continue to Pop Up In The Phoenix Area

As the number of young professionals and entrepreneurs across the Valley has continued to increase, so has the market for alternatives to the traditional office.

Lauren Potter, Special for The Republic | azcentral.com | February 18,2016

Developers in the Valley are responding to this trend by creating shared, or co-working, spaces.

Workspace,midtown,central phoenix,downtownUnlike traditional offices, these spaces allow people who are self-employed, work for small companies or don’t have a dedicated office space to share equipment and collaborate under one roof.

People want to come downtown 
The Department, on the sixth floor of 1 N. First St. in downtown Phoenix, is one of the Valley’s newest co-working spaces. A project by private investment firm Marketplace One, the space was created to house the growing number of small-business owners and startups the firm was investing in and working with.

“We saw a need, especially downtown,” said Kyle Frazey, operating manager of the collaborative workspace. “People were wanting to come downtown more, especially the younger Millennials, tech entrepreneurs and investors.”

The 16,000-square-foot space is visually striking and offers views of South Mountain from its sixth-floor windows. Custom contemporary furniture dots the bright open-plan design, which houses three shared conference rooms, private offices, shared and reserved workstations, as well as a central lounge and kitchen area.

According to Frazey, current members include artists, private-equity investors, consultants, digital agencies and non-profits. While their industries may be different, Frazey said members share something in common.

“They’re really people that want to help each other succeed,” Frazey said.

Frazey said the space was designed to be collaborative, adding that this type of space has a certain energy and encourages relationship-building among those co-working there.

Three levels of membership are available (flex, reserve and team) starting at $200 per month. There are no hourly or daily pricing options. However, there is another co-working space in Phoenix that targets this niche market.

Co-working — with an emphasis on hospitality

A joint project between Valley developers Ironline Partners and Novawest, Mod is a meeting and workspace option for on-the-go and mobile workers. It offers a stylish lounge feel and, unlike other shared workspaces, places a strong focus on hospitality.

Located at 2828 N. Central Ave. in midtown Phoenix, Mod caters to traveling and mobile professionals. It offers amenities a traveling worker expects: Wi-Fi, printers and copiers, private and public workspaces, meeting rooms, notary services, a coffee shop, healthy cafe and bar.

There also are unexpected perks.

“If we notice one of our clients hasn’t taken a break in a really long time, (we) might surprise them with a hot towel or refreshment,” said Jamie Shaw, brand experience director at Mod. “We want you to feel pampered.”

According to Shaw, if clients need to ship a package or borrow a phone charger, the on-site “Modcierge”  can help.

Phoenix is Mod’s first location, and the company is opening a space in San Francisco’s Mission District this year. A third location is planned for Seattle in 2017. Company officials say they are exploring a second Valley location, possibly in Tempe.

Work and home

Residential developers also are responding to the need for alternative workspaces.

A Chile-based commercial developer, Sencorp, has targeted this mobile-workforce market with their first U.S. project, en Hance Park located at 1130 N. Second St. in downtown Phoenix, with prices from $150,000.

Eight of the 49 units are zoned as live-work spaces with a ground-level entrance to the home office area. Alvaro said the units are best suited to “low-traffic” home-based businesses such as design, insurance or real estate. The units cater to a small and underserved part of the market, Sencorp Chief Operating Officer Alvaro Sande said.

“It’s not all the market,” he said. “It’s a niche.”

In Scottsdale, developers are targeting the live-work niche, but with a focus on luxury.

SoHo live-work townhouses and condominiums, under construction near WestWorld of Scottsdale at Bell Road, range from $651,300 to more than $1 million. Starting at 3,939 square feet, the residences give buyers the opportunity to operate a retail business on the ground-floor space.

A great workspace attracts and keeps talent
Whether working from home or in a shared or traditional office space, the design and energy of modern workspaces is increasingly important.

According to Colliers International Director of Workplace Innovation Keith Perske, the environment in which people work makes a difference to employees and business owners alike.

“If you can change the workplace, you can (positively) affect a lot of people’s lives,” Perske said.

“Companies that really get it understand the way a workplace functions as a way to attract and retain talent,” he said.