coworking

Rosslyn to Open Outdoor Coworking Space in Gateway Park

By ARLnow.com
1/4

An outdoor co-working space is set to open in mid-October at a Rosslyn park.

Outdoor Office, or O2, is coming to Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway) courtesy of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District. The idea is to safely provide “a retreat for professionals looking for an inspiring change of scenery” during the pandemic.

“O2 is free to all, and will be accessible with an online reservation system,” a spokeswoman explained. “There will be two distinct working stations with multiple physically-distanced seating options and free wifi.”

Given the time of year, would-be outdoor office-goers should pack a sweater along with their laptop.

More on the concept from a press release:

Today, the Rosslyn BID announced a new, outdoor workspace coming to Gateway Park in mid-October called O2, which stands for Outdoor Office. Prioritizing safety and productivity, O2 leverages existing infrastructure and natural elements at Rosslyn’s Gateway Park to create a dynamic business-meets-fresh-air environment. With a vision that centers around wellness — mental, physical, and social — O2 is a retreat for professionals looking for an inspiring change of scenery.

Centrally-located in Rosslyn’s urban core, O2 will provide distinctly separate and easy-to-use spaces to foster a comfortable and connected work atmosphere for employees looking to come back to the neighborhood or residents needing a change from their home office. This free and safe environment is designed to make working outside a breeze, including an easy-to-use reservation system, and trained Rosslyn BID Ambassadors onsite to sanitize workspaces and maintain streamlined operations.

O2’s combination of natural elements and central setting within the neighborhood’s iconic park is sure to inspire productivity and true blue-sky thinking. More details, including cleaning precautions and reservation information, will be available closer to mid-October when O2 will be open to the public for reservations. Renderings of the forthcoming installation can be found here.

“We know that safe outdoor public spaces are key to maintaining mental and physical health and helping people feel connected to where they spend their time,” said Mary-Claire Burick, President of the Rosslyn BID. “O2 is an extension of the wonderful office community we have in Rosslyn and we’re excited to bring it to Arlington.”

This year, the Rosslyn BID has creatively evolved its placemaking efforts to adapt to safe social distancing guidelines by adding new sanitizing wipe stations around the neighborhood, placing all furniture 6-8 feet apart, and transforming underutilized spaces by adding seating and continuing to safely distance people as they enjoy the outdoors. These same procedures will be used throughout O2. The Rosslyn BID Ambassadors, who keep Rosslyn’s streets clean, provide hospitality and neighborhood information, have increased their cleaning protocols for high-touch zones in public areas and surfaces throughout Rosslyn.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

It’s Primary Day — Today is Super Tuesday, the presidential primary day in Virginia and 13 other states across the U.S. In Arlington, polls are open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Arlington public schools are closed to students today. [Arlington County, Twitter]

Beyer, Lopez Endorse Biden — Following his decisive victory in the South Carolina primary, former Vice President Joe Biden has picked up endorsements locally from Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Del. Alfonso Lopez (D). Lopez and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe were stuck in an elevator in Richmond for a half hour yesterday while heading to a Biden event. [Press Release, Twitter]

County OKs Five Scooter Companies — “The lone applicant seeking to provide electric-bicycle service in Arlington has been rejected by county officials, but five operators of electric-scooter devices did make the grade, County Manager Mark Schwartz told County Board members on Feb. 25. The five e-scooter firms – Bird, Jump, Lime, Razor and Skip – were among eight that had sought permission to operate in the county. The other three were rejected for various reasons, including having no speedometers on their devices.” [InsideNova]

Cristol Encourages Volunteering for Erik — “As you may have seen in the news, our colleague and friend, Erik, is facing a tough health challenge…  here’s what we can do for him: Go to a civic association or commission meeting. Volunteer. Embody Erik’s example & make this place better by showing up. And take a picture, and tag it #HereForErik so we can share.” [Twitter]

I-66 Tolling Deemed a Success — “About 700 more people each day total are commuting along the Interstate 66 corridor inside the Capital Beltway now compared to before tolls for solo drivers and an expanded rush-hour period began, and there are also fewer car trips each morning… Virginia state officials have said the goal of the tolls has been to move more people in the corridor, and see the higher count of commuters as a sign the system is working.” [WTOP]

Coworking Space Coming to Courthouse — “Flexible workspace provider Venture X is making its first foray into the Washington, D.C., market, after reaching a deal to take the top floor of the Navy League Building in Arlington, Virginia.” [CoStar]

Cupid the Cat Now Up for Adoption — “Two weeks after undergoing emergency surgery to remove an arrow from his head, Cupid is ready to find a new home. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s veterinary director cleared Cupid on Monday, March 2, for adoption.” [Patch]

ACFD Assists With McLean Fire — Updated at 8:25 a.m. — Arlington County firefighters helped Fairfax County’s fire department battle a massive house fire in McLean last night. [Twitter]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Trash Collection Cancelled — Updated at 8:55 a.m. — Trash and recycling collection is cancelled today, according to Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services. Christmas tree and brush collection will be completed as normal, however. [Twitter]

Rep. Beyer Calls for Peace — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) tweeted the following after Iran’s airstrike on U.S. military bases in Iraq — a response to the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general: “De-escalate. Exercise diplomacy. Talk. Listen. Give peace a chance.” [Twitter]

Civ Fed Worries About Upzoning — “‘None of us are interested in destroying all our single-family neighborhoods,’ new County Board Chairman Libby Garvey said during the board’s Jan. 2 meeting with the Arlington County Civic Federation… At the forum, Garvey promised that the Civic Federation would play an integral role in any civic-engagement process that transpires in coming months. She reiterated the board’s position that zoning changes are not a done deal.” [InsideNova]

Board Defends Amazon’s Housing Contribution — “Arlington County Board members are defending their decision to trade additional office-building density for affordable-housing funding, but the decision provoked tension with some delegates to the Arlington County Civic Federation. Meeting with board members on Jan. 2, several federation members asked why the county government had decided to allocate all the $20 million contribution from Amazon to affordable-housing efforts.” [InsideNova]

Marijuana Possession Cases Dismissed — In court Tuesday, Arlington’s new top prosecutor successfully sought for judges to dismiss charges against those charged with simple marijuana possession. [Twitter]

Police Investigate Pike Robbery — A portion of westbound Columbia Pike was shut down near S. Glebe Road early Tuesday morning while police investigated a robbery. An ACPD spokeswoman told ARLnow that a victim was robbed and suffered minor injuries; no weapon was involved in the robbery. [Twitter]

New Coworking Space Coming to Crystal City — “Hana is coming to Greater Washington, and it’s going to be neighbors with HQ2. CBRE Group has picked a Crystal City office building to serve as the first East Coast location of its flexible space concept, named after the Hawaiian word for work.” [Washington Business Journal]

Local Pawn Shop Helps Return Lost Ring — “Mary Nosrati, a certified gemologist who works at a pawnshop in Arlington, Va., likes to say that every diamond has a story. This is the story of Marsha Wilkins’s diamond, of how it was lost and how it was found.” [Washington Post]

The Rise of Coworking in Ballston

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/6

Coworking on the Rise

In a nutshell, coworking is the practice of shared workspaces and amenities where multiple unrelated companies work in the same space using the operator’s administrative and amenity functions. In today’s modern and ever-changing office world, coworking is the fastest growing alternative to the traditional office space.

The coworking industry has become a global phenomenon! Between 2008-2010, more operators joined the market, but in recent years, the industry has veritably exploded. According to Emergent Research, over 1,000 new coworking spaces opened in the second half of 2018 — nearly half of which are located in the U.S.

TechSpace, one of the first operators in the coworking space industry, was established in 1997 and opened in the Ballston area in June 2018.

Who Uses Coworking Spaces? 

People often wonder what kinds of companies are best served by coworking spaces. The answer is many industries are actually well-suited. Since opening in June 2018 at our Ballston location at 4075 Wilson Boulevard, we’ve experienced a rapid influx of businesses that have ties to the federal government, but also see a lot of growing tech companies.

Despite the different sectors in which they operate, all businesses have become reliant on a superior technology infrastructure like the one TechSpace provides.

Why Move into TechSpace?

Flexibility — The terms provided by a flexible workspace provider gives members the ability to scale up (or downsize) quickly, as their needs change. This means a company can grow into a private office, or multiple private offices, as well as scale within the same building, all without having to move or change addresses. Coworking spaces also help with low upfront capital costs and reduced fixed expenditures — giving your company more cash on hand.

Amenities — As the competition for top talent heats up, companies must adapt their workplaces in response to changing demands and expectations of employees. Flexible workspaces offer a wide range of hospitality-focused services and amenities — from a welcoming reception area and dedicated community manager to a variety of networking events — creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere and positive workday experience for all employees.

Community — Coworking spaces also give members access to a supportive community of other like-minded business professionals to work around. This means companies and their employees have endless opportunities to network and socialize with other members — both throughout the workday and during community programs and events.

Move into TechSpace by December 31 and get up to $500

For a limited time, TechSpace is reimbursing new members up to $500 when you sign by December 31. So, how does the one-time incentive work? It’s simple!

  • Earn $500 total (maximum) for 4+ seats
  • $250 total for 1-3 seats (this includes FlexSpace)

Book a tour with our community manager, Jennifer today!

Move-in credit of $250 or $500 will be given to new members closing on their office(s) by December 31. Credit will be applied by ‘one-time promotional discount’ 90 days (3 months) after move-in date.

Rosslyn’s Eastern Foundry Is The Right Coworking Choice For Government Contractors

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/5

Everybody needs a place to work, so why not choose an office that also works for you?

While there are many coworking options in Arlington, Eastern Foundry is the only space tailored for government contractors. We’ve been helping businesses enter and grow in the federal market since 2014 and are always looking for more to join our community.

When you come to work at Eastern Foundry, networking happens naturally, and your next-door neighbor may just turn into your next teaming partner.

Our Rosslyn office is a perfect fit for any small or large business looking to connect with industry partners and have a flexible workspace. Not just an office, but an opportunity for growth, our event series brings high-level agency officials right to your door, and our unparalleled education provides our members with the resources they need to succeed at any stage of their business.

Whether you have two team members or forty, we are able to accommodate your needs. With 5 spacious conference rooms, phone nooks and ample coworking space, Eastern Foundry provides a variety of options for your company to thrive.

Our commuter friendly office is steps from the Metro, features a spacious bike storage facility, includes complimentary gym membership, and access to a rooftop lounge with one of the best views of D.C.

To learn how Eastern Foundry can take your contracting business to the next level, schedule a tour today or reach out directly to Cindy Lee.

‘Coding Dojo’ Moves from Tysons to Rosslyn

By Vernon Miles

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

There is no actual karate on the grounds of Coding Dojo, but the program does hope to help coders learn to chop through digital obstacles.

Coding Dojo is a boot camp for teaching coding with locations set up across the country. Bobby Bethea, Program Success Manager for Coding Dojo, said its new D.C. area location at Eastern Foundry coworking space (1100 Wilson Blvd) in Rosslyn is a relocation of an original location in Tysons.

“Arlington has always been on our radar,” Bethea said. “The idea to relocate the campus to Arlington was determined after a former student, now a staff member, developed an API which pulled the zip codes from existing applications submitted to Coding Dojo. Once pulled, the zip codes were organized to display a heat map.”

Bethea said the heat map showed that most of the applications were coming from Arlington, so when the lease expired, the school moved closer to the students.

Bethea also said the announcement of Amazon’s move to Arlington also played a role in the move; opening up a new market for Coding Dojo alumni.

“It did factor into our decision to move to Arlington because at the end of the day, our ability to help graduates find jobs is the most important aspect of our business,” Bethea said.

The Arlington location, like the others, teaches Python, MEAN, and C#/.NET. Bethea said the program is designed to be beginner-friendly and to fit with developers of various experience levels.

The 14-week program costs $13,495, though the company offers various payment plans, financing, and scholarships.

“Our dynamic curriculum was first developed in 2008 as an internal training program for small software engineering teams — the first in the industry,” Bethea said. “Ever since, we’ve constantly refined the curriculum and have trained thousands of students to either become developers or refine their skill sets. Today, we provide students with a veteran curriculum, that is proven to work as the most effective approach to training both experienced developers and students new to coding.”

Photo via Facebook/Coding Dojo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New Coworking Space Coming to Ballston — “Piedmont Office Realty Trust signed a 29K SF lease with WeWork at its Arlington Tower office building at 901 North Glebe Road in Ballston, the REIT said in its Q2 earnings release Wednesday evening. The coworking giant will take the entire fifth floor and plans to open before the end of the year, Piedmont Director Chris Poppell tells Bisnow.” [Bisnow]

Disaster Declaration May Be Coming Soon — “A disaster designation based on damage assessments in Arlington County would allow homeowners and businesses in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax County to apply for low-interest federal loans beginning as soon as next week to help pay for repairs. Fairfax County Emergency Management Coordinator Seamus Mooney expects the designation to be approved within the next two weeks.” [WTOP]

Changes Proposed for Pentagon City Hotel — “The owner of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Crystal City is gearing up for a play to capitalize on the 627-room hotel’s proximity to Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters. Tom Baltimore, CEO of the hotel’s owner, Park Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: PK), told analysts on its second-quarter earnings call Thursday that the hotel is one of several the company is evaluating as possible redevelopment opportunities.” [Washington Business Journal]

Video: Dark Star Park Day — A timelapse video captured the moment on Thursday morning when the shadows lined up at Rosslyn’s Dark Star Park, as happens once a year on Aug. 1. [Twitter]

Arlington Boy Lives Dream in Boston — “There was a special visitor to the WBZ Weather Center on Thursday. Noah Coon from Arlington, Virginia is a big weather fan and stopped by the studio thanks to Dream On 3. Noah has cerebral palsy and was in Boston to visit the Red Sox. Because he’s also a fan of meteorology, he came to visit the WBZ weather team.” [WBZ]

Video: Yorktown vs. W-L — Just published online: “Long-lost footage of the famous Nov. 5, 1970, mud bowl football game between the Yorktown High School Patriots and the Washington-Lee Generals. Yorktown was favored with a 9-0 record but W-L won 12-0 and earned the Potomac District championship. [YouTube]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Incubator Leaving Crystal City — “Startup incubator 1776 plans to open its new D.C. location this year and will ultimately shut down its Crystal City location. 1776 spokesman Lucas McCanna said the company will relocate to ‘the general McPherson Square area,’ but declined to give a specific address.” [Washington Business Journal]

AAA: Worst Times for Independence Day Travel — “Holiday travelers hailing from the area will face absolute gridlock along key freeway segments starting [today], July 3. Topping the list of the worst corridors for those departing Wednesday, July 3, is Interstate 270 northbound.” [Press Release]

Arlington County Holiday Closures — All Arlington County government offices, courts, libraries and facilities will be closed Thursday for the Independence Day holiday, though trash and recycling will still be collected. Also, “metered parking is not enforced but street parking near the US Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima), Long Bridge Park, and the Air Force Memorial will be restricted. Motorists should look for temporary ‘No Parking’ signs.” [Arlington County]

Memorial Bridge Closed to Pedestrians — In addition to other July 4 road closures around Arlington, Memorial Bridge will be closed to both vehicles and pedestrians throughout the day Thursday. [Twitter, National Park Service]

ART Bus Holiday Schedule — “ART will operate holiday service on Thursday, July 4, 2019, in observance of Independence Day. ART 41, 42, 45, 51, 55 and 87 will operate on Sunday schedules. All other ART routes will not operate and the ART customer call center will be closed.” [Arlington Transit]

Superintendent Search May Be Drawn Out — “Arlington’s new School Board chair, who will be focused in coming months on the selection of a new superintendent, asked for patience in the community as the process plays out. ‘Finding the right leader and the best fit for our community will take time,’ Tannia Talento said July 1 as she rotated in as chair of the School Board for the coming year.” [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Lisa Novak

Why Ballston Needed A Coworking Space Specifically Designed For Tech Companies

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
TechSpace Ballston

With the rise of coworking spaces appearing in Ballston and many other markets, companies have a lot to think about when selecting a coworking space.

As with any major decisions, there are important factors to think about including the atmosphere, office design and layout, and technical capabilities. While there are many trendy options in our market, there is only one that is designed with tech companies in mind — TechSpace Ballston.

TechSpace caters to the needs of growing tech companies in many ways including our robust technology platform, phone services, scalable private office suites and overall community atmosphere.

Creating an identity that resonates with technology companies is incredibly important to us, and members see it and experience it by just being in our halls — from the sleek, minimalist design of our space to the tech-oriented events, you are in a coworking space like no other.

Speaking of events, we host a variety of them! We highly encourage the Ballston community to join our bi-monthly Kublr meetups (next one on May 15 at 6 p.m.) where Arkadii Ocheretnoi, a Lead Platform Developer at Kublr who will be discussing “Stable, Predictable etcd Storage with Kubernetes.”

Please RSVP to attend. We look forward to showing you TechSpace Ballston!

Feel free to contact us at 703-650-7700 or reach out to our site manager, Julie Manning.  

Coworking Providers TechSpace and Industrious Are Merging

By ARLnow.com
1/9

Two major coworking companies, which operate coworking spaces blocks apart in Ballston, are merging.

TechSpace has been acquired by the larger coworking provider Industrious, according to an email from TechSpace CEO Vic Memenas. ARLnow’s parent company is based in a TechSpace office and both companies are ARLnow advertisers.

“I am pleased to announce that, as of today, TechSpace is now part of Industrious, the largest premium flexible workspace provider in the U.S.,” Memenas wrote to tenants yesterday. “Over the next few months, the Industrious team will begin integrating TechSpace into their larger network.”

Memenas said the change “will have little impact” on TechSpace members. Thus far both the TechSpace and Industrious locations in Ballston are expected to continue operating despite their close proximity, we’re told; the Ballston TechSpace is almost completely full.

Industrious recently announced plans to open a new 25,000 square foot location in Courthouse, in addition to locations either open or planned in D.C., Bethesda, Tysons and Alexandria.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Big Trees Fall on Cars — In two separate incidents during Saturday’s windy weather, trees fell on cars near Pentagon City mall and near the corner of Lee Highway and N. Harrison Street. No serious injuries were reported. [Twitter, Twitter]

Coworking Space Coming to Courthouse — Courthouse is getting its first coworking space. Industrious, which recently opened a new coworking space in Ballston, is planning on opening a 25,000 square foot space at a recently-built office building at 2311 Wilson Blvd. [Bisnow]

New Arlington Election Director — “Electoral Board members announced April 24 they had selected Gretchen Reinemeyer, currently deputy to Director of Elections Linda Lindberg, to succeed Lindberg starting July 1. Lindberg had announced earlier in the year she planned on retiring from the post she had held since 2003.” [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

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