Coworking spaces are incubators for creativity and innovation. Whether you’re a photographer, designer, entrepreneur, marketer or student, a coworking space offers an extra daily shot of passion as you interact and work alongside likeminded professionals. It’s a great middle ground between traditional offices with sky-high rent and the work-from-home pajama monotony, not to mention an instant lead generator once you get settled in.
Naturally, NYC has a high density of coworking spaces to choose from. Here are 5 popular ones to check out:
WeWork
In 2011, WeWork opened its first location at 154 Grand St. in SoHo, quickly attracting waves of entrepreneurs and startups. Today, WeWork has more than a dozen NYC spots with 3,000+ members, and additional locations everywhere from Boston to Seattle; London to Amsterdam. Despite WeWork’s vast expansion, its spaces are by no means cookie-cutter; each one has its own unique design and visionary community.
WeWork offers tons of perks including weekly events, coffee, beer and lounges. There are even discounts on health care and hotels. Prices vary by location, ranging from $45-$550 per month. Membership gives you access to all WeWork locations around the world.
“The Most Badass Coworking Space on the Planet,” AlleyNYC is a 16,000-square-foot space located at 500 7th Ave in Midtown. AlleyNYC offers a supportive community for startups of all types, and is currently home to 91 businesses.
Rates here run from $450 per month for a shared desk, to $650 for a private desk and $2,200 for a private office. Every Wednesday and Friday, the community holds a Happy Hour showcasing different tenants.
www.alleynyc.com
Con Artist
For the artistically-driven, the Con Artist Collective on the Lower East Side offers a gallery and shared workspace where you can create, share and sell your artwork. The workspace is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; the gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday and hosts weekly gallery night parties, usually on Wednesdays. Con Artist members curate group shows and organize social events while enjoying amenities that include a silk-screen press, photo studio, power washer and drop sink, along with all the necessary hardware, software and tools. An unlimited plan costs only $229 per month, and there are plenty of other options to choose from all the way down to hourly and weekly access.
From Duggal, head east on 23rd Street and you’ll reach Cowork|rs between Park and Lexington. Members here enjoy a ridiculous array of perks including “insanely fast internet,” conference rooms, mail service, printers and copiers, networking mixers, lectures, coffee, food, beer and a state-of-the-art lounge. That’s in addition to special discounts with Orbitz, Zipcar, Lyft and NYSC. A shared desk runs for roughly $350 per month, while a private desk goes for $750. If you have a team, you can rent a private window office for 5 at $2,800.
Don’t sleep on Brooklyn; the borough itself is one giant, thriving creative scene. DUMBO is widely considered the center of Brooklyn’s startup community, and DUMBO Startup Lab is a great place to immerse yourself in that energy. Here you’ll find designers, developers, marketers, entrepreneurs and “lots of happy people.” The space is located in a gorgeous loft building at 68 Jay with inspiring views of Brooklyn. Membership options are flexible, from $249/month community access to a $1,499/month team membership with workstations for 4 members.
