Why I Work at New Work City

New Work City, a new coworking space in New York City (get the name?!), opened its doors on Monday, November 3, and I’m pleased to say that I am a part-time member.

What’s “coworking,” you ask? It’s a new movement for freelancers and small business owners of all kinds to stop working at home or out of random cafés and start working together in a shared, open, collaborative space. Coworking spaces have opened all around the world, with popular spots Citizen Space in San Francisco and Independents Hall in Philly.

In the summer of 2007 my friends Sanford Dickert and Tony Bacigalupo started CooperBricolage, a coworking community gathering at the East Village café Gramstand. They offer free wi-fi and yummy treats, but you’re working among the masses, so it can get noisy and crowded (and quite hot downstairs in the summer months).

There was a real need for a more structured work environment, with desks and comfy desk chairs, a stronger wi-fi connection, a conference room, a fax/scanner/printer, and dedicated daily working hours. So Tony and Sanford decided to open New Work City. It was a year in the making, and they were meticulous about choosing the perfect space. Finally last month, they opened at 200 Varick Street at Houston St. The office is on the same corner as the 1 train, right next to the legendary SOB’s, with a deli downstairs, lots of food options within walking distance (including Chipotle), and just around the corner from the lovely Bedford St. It’s an ideal location for me because I live so close by and can stop in for the day or in between meetings, whenever the need arises.

There are several pricing options depending on people’s needs. I’m a part-time member, which means I pay $200 a month and can work from the space two days per week. The full-time membership is $550 a month, and that gets you your own key to the space so you can come in absolutely anytime you want. If you know New York real estate, those prices are a STEAL. Executive suites, where you can rent your own private office within a larger space, can charge upwards of $3,000/month. And here, you get so many more benefits that help you in your work and your life.

If you’re still kind of skeptical of this whole coworking thing, I thought I’d tell you my top 20 reasons why I’m here. If you’re in New York City and working from home every day, there is hope. Join us. The more the merrier here, and daily drop-ins are only $25. If you don’t live in NYC and want to find coworking near you, just check out one of the hundreds of locations around the world, or start your own!