I have seen the future and it involves a desk and a bed. On different floors of course.
Such is the vision of WeWork which has taken a simple concept (provide alternatives to working at home by refurbishing commercial real estate and turning them into shared working environments) and turned the startup/entrepreneur community on its ear. Along the way, WeWork has altered neighborhoods and real estate, bringing in hundreds of people to a common space while at the same time pumping new blood into the ailing office/warehouse real estate market.
More than a desk
At all WeWork locations (There are currently have 19 building in three countries), points out the NYTimes, “Creative energy is off the charts.” Fresh-out-of-school 20-somethings are masters of their own universe. Like-minded individuals bask in the shared excitement of making a difference (in addition to making money). In May, reports the Times, “Startups at WeWork raised $1.5 million in capital.” But that wasn’t enough. Who has time to go home? If these young Turks gotta work then of course they gotta sleep.
An article Money.CNN.com explains that recently, “The company unveiled its newest endeavor: housing. Called WeLive, residents can rent a bed or a private room in one of its first two co-living locations: In New York City or Arlington, Virginia.”
Work, sleep and make friends
Money maps out that there are more than 200 units in the WeLive Wall Street location, some of which are already occupied by beta testers. The units range from studios to four bedrooms (which sleep up to eight people) with one or two restrooms per unit. All spaces are fully furnished.
By its own accord, WeWork mission is to create an opportunity “For people to take advantage of both the living and working spaces.” And what’s really cool is that it’s affordable: WeWork won’t require residents to prove that they can pay forty times the monthly rent (typical of renters in New York City). There are a variety of plans and sizes to accommodate one or more individuals.
According to LifeEdited.com, “WeLive is located in the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington County, VA, literally in the backyard of Washington DC. WeLive seems like a good fit for the area as Crystal City is already configured as a self-contained city.”
Those were the days
When I was younger and full of piss and vinegar (as opposed to being older and still full of the same), I loved living in the commonality of a dorm room. The eat-work-live-play attitude of everyone created a vibrant energy that was and still is hard to match.
WeWork/WeLive has taken that basic tenant and improved on it and the end result has taken on a life of its own.
#WorkSleepPlay
Nearly three decades living and working all over the world as a radio and television broadcast journalist in the United States Air Force, Staff Writer, Gary Picariello is now retired from the military and is focused on his writing career.
