What started as a two-week experiment 11 months ago has become Downtown’s newest business.
CoWork Jax is a cooperative office environment designed for entrepreneurs, freelancers and others who need office space when they need it but don’t want to pay for it when they don’t.
It is scheduled to open with a reception ceremony from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday.
CoWork Jax cofounder Elton Rivas said he expects a couple of hundred people, including Mayor Alvin Brown, to attend the debut of the 6,000-square-foot, fully equipped, flexible workspace on the second floor at 5 W. Forsyth St., above Perdue Office Interiors.
The concept behind co-working is simple. People who need office space on an intermittent basis or those who are looking for a more economical workspace purchase memberships and then pay for space and time as they need it.
The business began on a temporary basis in February in AT&T Tower 301, now EverBank Center. The response from local “co-workers” prompted the need for a permanent space, which was designed and decorated by the team at Perdue.
CoWork Jax is fully outfitted with Steelcase and Turnstone office furniture, making the second floor, like the ground floor, a working showroom for some of Perdue’s product lines.
Amenities range from individual desks to “Innovation Suites,” private offices that can accommodate up to three people.
Memberships start at $25 per month, plus $15 per day. Single-day desk space is $18.50 per day and the suites are $649 per month.
Conference and meeting rooms are available to members and there’s a kitchen, lounge and a “phone booth” for private communication. High-definition Web conferencing and Wi-Fi also are available, as are a fax machine, network printer and scanner.
Rivas said one of the advantages to co-working is the ability to meet and work with other members. He said many co-workers are in the information technology fields, as well as creative businesses such as advertising and public relations.
Web designers, event planners, CPAs and attorneys have discovered the benefits of co-working, he said.
In addition to allowing solo entrepreneurs or small businesses to work in a professional environment instead of at home or in a coffee shop, co-working also encourages collaboration among members with similar expertise and businesses.
“You get the advantages of the atmosphere and the other people working in the space,” said Rivas.
Starting the conversation is the job of Paige Calvert, the “community curator.” Calvert, a former social strategy consultant, earned a business degree at the University of Florida and discovered co-working a few years ago in New York City. Her job is to connect members with each other to build a creative community.
“I’m here to facilitate conversations,” Calvert said.
CoWork Jax is open 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Rivas said plans include allowing members access to the space 24/7 and he’s planning a series of seminars on business and co-working topics.
For more details, visit coworkjax.com or call 586-8678.
356-2466