Advice Requested - New Space in NY

[Daniel]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all of the amazing information – what a great resource this group is.

I’m planning to move ahead with a new coworking space in New York and could use some advice. As I’m sure you know, NY is a very saturated coworking market, but the neighborhood I’d be going into has no spaces of any kind nearby. Even though the demographics don’t seem quite as good for coworking as say Williamsburg, the area is very densely residential with almost no other office space available. I already have a unique space lined up (super high vaulted ceilings, skylights, mezzanine) and a likely joint venture with the landlord to keep the rents a non-issue while we get started. 

Any advice for getting started in such a competitive marketplace? Does this sound like a good setup or will prospective members keep commuting to bigger spaces? Having read many of your posts, I intend to start making connections and building a community, but the NY market is so big and moves so fast that I’d hope there are other ways to get noticed. What other resources could you recommend beyond Liquid Spaces and getting on the New Worker map?

Many thanks in advance for any advice. I’m hopeful I can make this work so I can develop the space/community and the people in the area can have a much more convenient place to go.

-Dan

[Tony Bacigalupo]

Howdy Dan! Please build the coworking space my former members wish they could find in NYC! 

If you want to build a true community center, and not just another shiny tech office thing, I want to help you.

That goes for anyone else lurking on here in NYC too.

To answer your question: yes, it is absolutely possible, even with all of the competition. You don't have to be as big or fancy, you just have to be clever.

The biggest competition right now to coworking isn't other spaces; it's the home and the cafe. They're free and convenient and most of the potential coworking market just doesn't value coworking enough to pay the money.

You can build something great if you can play a different kind of game. I've witnessed what's possible when people come together around a thing they really believe in, and it's something to behold.

It starts with conversations and a whole lot of listening.

Is this neighborhood you speak of a place where coworking can work? It's not for me or you to say. Go hear it from the people who would become your members.

Start or join a Meetup group (maybe you can use mine! It's dormant.). Go hang out where your people hang out. Make friends. The neighborhood is the way to go in NY, especially if it's off the beaten path and currently underserved.

If you can get even a handful of people to tell you they would love to see it happen, then you're on your way. Deputize them as peers to help you build a thing all of you want to see.

Everything gets awesomer from there.

Let's talk!

Tony

Read more about my deal here: http://nwc.co/3/backstory/

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[Alex Linsker]

Sounds great, and I like what Tony said.

Find leaders of hundreds or thousands of people and make your place their work home.

Write a contract with then, a Constitution or Charter or at least a Bill of Rights or Community Guidelines, that gives them autonomy and sets limits, so they can do sales for you and know it will stay theirs. Have monthly meetings with them, open to members and the public, and they know what their people want. Then you have a pluralistic community-of-communities, and are well on your way to being a workplace democracy.

Alex Linsker, http://CollectiveAgency.co

[Daniel]

Thanks for this advice. Tony - I sent you a DM to follow up.

-Dan

[Bernhard Mehl]

Daniel,

That's a great idea! I agree with Tony, but would go one step before: Start with observing the neighborhood.

How can people get there, is there a subway line that allows easy commute? Are there new coffee shops or retail stores opening (meaning the area is coming up), etc. 

I'd also look at how many new construction you see around in the area to get an idea how much attention this area has from a landlord / broker side. 

Being in NYC what I've seen working is to team up with Brokers in the area to start conversations. They can tell you if there's more small businesses opening, etc. 

Also as Tony mentioned, go to the local meetups and check out the crowd or just go in a bar nearby to chat with folks about where they work and if they know a good coworking space around in the area.

Generally I'd recommend as a good exercise to categorize / position yourself in one of the categories of spaces we've researched in the NYC market:

https://blog.getkisi.com/top-coworking-spaces-in-nyc/

Let me know what kind of space you have in mind and I can help you from there.

cheers,

Bernhard