SYRACUSE — As much as it aims to provide a place for young entrepreneurs and others to work, Syracuse Coworks seeks to spark collaboration as well. 40 Below, a Syracuse–based young professionals group, launched Syracuse Coworks on Oct. 10. The co-working space provides low-cost, professional office space at the Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse. “You’re […]
SYRACUSE — As much as it aims to provide a place for young entrepreneurs and others to work, Syracuse Coworks seeks to spark collaboration as well.
40 Below, a Syracuse–based young professionals group, launched Syracuse Coworks on Oct. 10. The co-working space provides low-cost, professional office space at the Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse.
“You’re seeing different perspectives, different members of the community, or people from other communities coming in,” 40 Below Chairwoman Stephanie Crockett says. “There’s so much energy at the Tech Garden. It’s got such a cool, innovative vibe to it.”
Law firm Harris Beach, which has an office in Syracuse, provided $5,000 for the effort. 40 Below is also in the process of obtaining a grant to help fund the project.
The 1,500-square-foot space, located at the Tech Garden, has enough room for up to 25 tenants. Membership levels range from a $15 rate for drop-ins to $225 per month for full tenant members. Amenities available at different membership levels include wireless Internet access, printing services, and access to conference rooms.
Full-time tenants get a reserved personal desk and priority access to conference rooms.
More people are launching new businesses, partially because of the economic environment, notes Crockett, who is also a management supervisor at Eric Mower + Associates, a Syracuse–based advertising agency. Plenty of entrepreneurs wind up working from home, but 40 Below found many wanted access to low cost professional office space.
Upstate cities including Rochester, Albany, and Buffalo all have co-working space available, Crockett adds.
In addition to local entrepreneurs and freelancers, Syracuse Coworks could serve professionals from out of town, she says.
40 Below began exploring co-working space about a year ago, says Benjamin Sio, director of sustainable infrastructure and policy development and 40 Below manager at CenterState CEO. Both 40 Below and the Tech Garden are affiliates of CenterState CEO.
The group has worked on some large projects in the past, including public art installations and cleanup of the Wilson Building in downtown Syracuse.
“We were searching for that next keynote project,” Sio says. “We started investigating different holes in the ecosystem to support young professionals.”
Potential Syracuse Coworks tenants have told 40 Below they’re interested in who else is going to occupy the space, Sio says. They see it as a possible place to exchange ideas and share challenges with others.
“It’s about professional office space, but it’s also about building a small community,” he says.
The facility already has its first tenant and 40 Below is looking to work with a sales and marketing director to recruit more tenants, Sio says. Many prospective tenants have been involved in the technology sector in some way, but he says he’s also talked with lawyers based in cities like Auburn or Cortland who are looking for a foothold in Syracuse.
“We’re really looking for people from across the board,” Sio says. “It’s better to have a diversity of different kinds of businesses in there.”
40 Below has more than 2,500 members. It focuses on civic engagement, regional marketing and branding, and public arts.