NEW YORK—It’s the vibe of the place. Walking into Green Desk in DUMBO could be like taking a step into the future. Inside are the young, entrepreneurial minds that may well be shaping our next decades. The space is inviting, with the exposed brick and spacious layout giving a feeling of, well, healthiness.
“There’s tons of diversity here but, because of the vibe, there are not many jerks,” said Miguel McKelvey, the co-founder and president of Green Desk, the office space with a green touch.
Renting office space month by month gives a lot of entrepreneurs and small businesses a risk-free way to get started, McKelvey said. Turning that space green can also give businesses an advantage.
McKelvey said his company is continually expanding, despite many office spaces emptying out in the declining market. Four floors in their Water Street building have filled up, and one floor in their Jay Street building, with another floor under construction. So what’s the big attraction?
“A lot of people say their productivity is higher when they’re surrounded by people working hard,” he said. “They get inspiration from other people doing cool stuff.”
People who have lost their jobs are taking up the opportunity to start up a business without large overheads. Developers Mark Mascia and Adam Loftin of Mascia Development, LLC, moved into Green Desk’s new building last week. Both are young, eager, and immaculately dressed. Large maps of Manhattan adorn the walls, giving the impression that great things will be happening in this room.
“It made a lot of sense strategically,” Mascia said of their decision to use Green Desk space. “Our values are aligned.”
He is hoping the space they have for five people will soon not be enough. The company is looking for multi-family, existing properties to invest in, and they are currently bidding on about three properties per week.
After looking for office space in Manhattan, Mascia said the $1,000 they are paying per month at Green Desk is a much better deal than $3,000 to $4,000 in Manhattan for a similar size. The alternatives were not green, there were no amenities, and the buildings of a lower standard, he said.
“It’s exciting here,” he said. “It’s a business incubator space.”
All of Mascia’s young employees are victims of recent layoffs, and Mascia is hoping to grow his company to be able to provide his previous colleagues with jobs.
McKelvey said more than 200 people and 90 companies are at Green Desk. The people there work in graphic design, web design, media, writing, non-profit organizations, jewelry making, green consulting, investing, law, and there’s even a solar laptop bag company and a TV production company.
“It’s so diverse,” McKelvey said. “The greater function of that is that people gain business from being here.”
The two-desk units are proving to be the most popular and the new building they are developing will see 20 more of them opening up.
There are few rules. Most of them revolve around turning lights out, monitors off, and recycling. Each floor has a conference room that can be booked, a fax machine, copier, and coffee-making station. McKelvey is working on getting the rooftop garden open and an exercise room equipped.
“It made a lot of sense strategically,” Mascia said of their decision to use Green Desk space. “Our values are aligned.”
He is hoping the space they have for five people will soon not be enough. The company is looking for multi-family, existing properties to invest in, and they are currently bidding on about three properties per week.
After looking for office space in Manhattan, Mascia said the $1,000 they are paying per month at Green Desk is a much better deal than $3,000 to $4,000 in Manhattan for a similar size. The alternatives were not green, there were no amenities, and the buildings of a lower standard, he said.
“It’s exciting here,” he said. “It’s a business incubator space.”
All of Mascia’s young employees are victims of recent layoffs, and Mascia is hoping to grow his company to be able to provide his previous colleagues with jobs.
McKelvey said more than 200 people and 90 companies are at Green Desk. The people there work in graphic design, web design, media, writing, non-profit organizations, jewelry making, green consulting, investing, law, and there’s even a solar laptop bag company and a TV production company.
“It’s so diverse,” McKelvey said. “The greater function of that is that people gain business from being here.”
The two-desk units are proving to be the most popular and the new building they are developing will see 20 more of them opening up.
There are few rules. Most of them revolve around turning lights out, monitors off, and recycling. Each floor has a conference room that can be booked, a fax machine, copier, and coffee-making station. McKelvey is working on getting the rooftop garden open and an exercise room equipped.
The one-hour commute from the Upper West Side is not enough to deter tenant Eyttan Maron. The futures trader moved in last August and has never looked back. “The atmosphere is very inviting. I want to stay here,” he said. “I am definitely more productive here than at home.”
Maron said he enjoys the open space outside, and the fact the amenities are high-tech.
McKelvey, an Oregon native, said being green was not a choice. “It just had to be that way.”
Renting office space by the month is not a new concept in New York. Sunshine Suites, with a more nightclub look, have two locations, one in Noho and one in Tribeca West. eEmerge also has two locations, one on 440 9th Avenue and the other at 28 West 44th Street.
All of the companies belong to the Coalition of Office Space Providers (COSP), a group working with the City’s Economic Development Corporation to help support Manhattan’s finance service sector.
The partnership was announced in February this year and hopes to give start-up businesses more support and incentives to stay in New York.
Maron said he enjoys the open space outside, and the fact the amenities are high-tech.
McKelvey, an Oregon native, said being green was not a choice. “It just had to be that way.”
Renting office space by the month is not a new concept in New York. Sunshine Suites, with a more nightclub look, have two locations, one in Noho and one in Tribeca West. eEmerge also has two locations, one on 440 9th Avenue and the other at 28 West 44th Street.
All of the companies belong to the Coalition of Office Space Providers (COSP), a group working with the City’s Economic Development Corporation to help support Manhattan’s finance service sector.
The partnership was announced in February this year and hopes to give start-up businesses more support and incentives to stay in New York.
