Death of the Cubicle: The Rise of Co-Working Space in D.C.

Long-term leases and cookie-cutter floorplans are becoming a thing of the past for D.C. office spaces. Co-working spaces have always been aligned with the start-up, and as D.C. continues to establish itself as an entrepreneurial hub, co-working spaces are becoming part of the fabric of D.C. commercial real estate. We take a look at some of the unconventional D.C. co-working spaces (including a few of our clients) that have exiled the cubicle.

OUTBOX

OUTBOX is the 40’ long, 10’ tall outdoor co-working space in Downtown Silver Spring. Equipped with free WiFi and electrical outlets, OUTBOX allows nearby office and telecommuting employees to be productive while enjoying sunshine and fresh air. The open-air workspace allows 40 people max to work in collaboration spaces or individual workstations, steps away from dining, shopping and entertainment options. Designed in partnership with Architecture Technology students at Montgomery College, OUTBOX’s color and design elements reflect the vibrancy and diversity of the surrounding community. To learn more about OUTBOX, check out our blog post here.

e-lofts

Bohemians and artists may have been living in their work studios for years, but e-lofts is taking it to the next level. e-lofts are premium, loft-style flexible apartments that can be customized to be residential only, office space only, or serve both purposes, and they’re opening this September in Alexandria. The lofts range from 600 – 1,200 SF and give today’s self-starting entrepreneurs access to premium apartment and commercial amenities, within one monthly rent payment. For the professional who is already locked into a lease elsewhere, e-lofts offers the Co-working Club, a monthly membership for access to e-lofts building and community amenities, including conference and media presentation rooms. For a deeper dive into e-lofts floorplans and features, check out their website.

“Co-working in a Box”

Two executives from WeWork went rogue and teamed up with Mark Kennedy of PMG Capital to develop “co-working in a box,” a business model that empowers existing office landlords to transition their available office space into co-working spaces. Mark Kennedy spoke to DC Bisnow about the partners’ vision to provide construction and design to convert a landlord’s existing vacant area into collaborative shared working spaces, with the landlord collecting rent as usual. The company, which is chasing copyright approval on its name and based in Northern Virginia, plans to officially launch on January 1, but anticipates design commitments within 60 days. Unlike some of its co-working competitors, “co-working in a box” doesn’t see its target market as start-ups or entrepreneurs, so much as corporate organizations looking to downsize their office space.