In January, Alembic Community Development opened a 4,200-square-foot coworking space on the third floor of the Myrtle Banks Building on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., which it has redeveloped into a fresh food market and office space targeting nonprofit, social and creative entrepreneurs.
Alembic’s new coworking space joins Launchpad, Beta, Propeller Icehouse, and a host of other coworking spaces popping up around the city.
The historic conversion of the former school building now offers light-filled private offices and workstations for short- and long-term lease, and includes such shared office amenities as a conference room, kitchenette, wi-fi, and printer/copier services.
Meanwhile, the Jack & Jake’s Public Market downstairs is scheduled to open during the first quarter of 2015, bringing fresh food to the Central City community. Jack & Jake’s will be a 23,000 square foot fresh food hub that takes up the first two floors of the development.
Alembic Community Development purchased the property from the school board in 2011 with the grand vision to create a commercial office and fresh food hub for the surrounding low income community. The facility is situated on a 65,000 square foot site within three blocks of St. Charles Avenue and the Central Business District, including close proximity to the interstate and public transportation. The Myrtle Banks redevelopment also features 10,000 square feet of landscaped green space/edible landscape.