WeWork has long been rumored to be coming to the Crescent City, and they may finally be arriving.
According to permits filed with the City of New Orleans on July 20, 2016 by Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, the 3rd and 4th floors of the Contemporary Arts Center (the CAC) at 900 Camp Street in the warehouse district will be transformed into a “work-sharing space.”
The total space of both floors is just over 38,000 square feet. The permit describes the scope of work to include selective demolition, new partitions, new restrooms and common area spaces, and repair/replacement of the building envelope, windows and roof and new HVAC, lighting and electrical.
So which shared workspace is moving in? The plans filed with the city dub the space “The Shop,” but is that just a placeholder name or is it in fact a new coworking space?
Contemporary Arts Center CEO Neil Barclay told Silicon Bayou News that “over the last 17 years, the CAC has vetted a number of possible developments for its third and fourth floors,” and that they have been searching for the right partner that aligns with their mission and with the presentation of the artistic programming.
Barclay confirmed that the CAC is currently vetting a possible development that would address this goal, yet negotiations are still ongoing because no deal has been authorized by their Board of Trustees. Barclay says they are co-developing the space in partnership with an unnamed private developer. “I think it is safe to say that the parties are cautiously optimistic that a deal will ultimately be realized,” Barclay revealed.
A source told Silicon Bayou News that New York-based WeWork is the group that will move in to the CAC space if a deal can be realized. We reached out to a WeWork spokesperson but they declined to comment.
WeWork is a global network of collaborative workspaces for startups, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. With over 50,000 members in 111 locations across 30 cities, WeWork is one of the most comprehensive coworking networks in the world.
Each WeWork space, from Portland to Paris, includes fast Internet, free beer on tap, business-class printers, unique common areas, private booths for phone calls, on-site community managers, cleaning service, and free coffee, tea, and fruit water. Coworking starts at $220 per month, dedicated desks start at $325 per month, and private offices go for $450 per month and up.
There are a number of successful coworking spaces already in New Orleans, from established players like Launch Pad, Propeller, and Beta, to newer spaces like The Warehouse and The Blue House.
According to the plans filed with the city, Palmisano Group is the general contractor, and Eskew+Dumez+Ripple is the architect.
Check back for more details about the development on Silicon Bayou News. You can find out the plans for the space filed with the city below.