The state of coworking in Omaha
As many of you know, for some time it has been a goal of Jeff and I to open up a coworking facility in the Omaha area. For those not familiar with the term, coworking is a concept where people can rent desks, and work in a shared/collaborative environment. The picture above shows one such place in Vancouver, called Workspace. The basic premise is that you give innovative people a place to work that's not a Starbucks, but a place that has a stronger "creative vibe" than a typical executive suite or shared office space. It's truly a place that fosters creativity and collaboration, and facilitates long-lasting friendships as well as partnerships.
Here's a great video explaining the concept...
That being said, a question we get asked almost on a daily basis is...
What is the current status of coworking in Omaha?!?!
The good news is, there is a great deal of positive movement towards setting up what will be a fantastic facility. We are currently finalizing what the coworking place will actually offer, where it will be located, etc. We're working with individuals from various organizations on these details, and we hope to have something finalized very soon.
Here are some other questions you might be asking...
How much will it cost?
We don't have any numbers yet, as we're still gauging interest, looking for buildings, etc. However, we know that the space will be affordable for freelancers, startups and small businesses. The goal here is to foster collaboration and build community, not strike it rich on rent checks. Expect a very cool facility, for a very fair price with flexible options.
Where will it be located?
This is also up in the air right now! However, because the audience that we're targeting is the "creative class", we feel that the location we pick for such a place should reflect that. As such, we're currently looking at targeting the Midtown-Downtown areas, as those are generally the areas of town that are associated with creativity in Omaha. There's a lot to go into picking a space though -- cost, accessibility, availability of parking, proximity to food/coffee, etc. We've got some leads and ideas, but we're always open to suggestions -- especially if you know somebody, who knows somebody, who owns a building...!
Can I do anything to help?
Absolutely... the best thing that anyone can do to help at this point is to help spread the word, and help us gauge interest. If you're interested in the space, leave a comment below, send an email or otherwise let us know next time you see us. This goes for anyone else you know who might be interested in the space. Lastly, if you have any ideas or thoughts, please feel free to send them our way as we'd love to hear from you!
As we get more details finalized, we'll have many many ways that people can help out, and we really appreciate all the support that people have offered up. Trust us when we say that we will take you up on that offer some day :-)
If you have any more questions, you can definitely let Jeff or myself know, we'd be happy to chat with you. If you want, leave questions in the comments and we'll answer them there, so that everyone can see the answers.
Thanks to everyone for your ongoing support for Silicon Prairie News, the coworking facility, and everything else exciting thats going on! There's a ton of exciting things happening, and we're excited for what's in store for 2009!
ARCHIVED COMMENTS
This would be great for Omaha. It's hard finding a place to focus in on a project requiring creative work when the office has its distractions, home has a two year old and six month old running around, and the local coffee joint is crowded and loud.
Plus, to network and connect with others around town would be great.
Honestly, I have never heard of this concept. I saw the link posted by Jeff on twitter and clicked because I figured it was time I learned. This is a very very intriguing concept. I'm interested to learn more about who is involved and the people it attracts. You guys are doing a great job bringing progressive working concepts to Omaha. Also, PLEASE let me know if I can do anything to help.
Sounds like you folks have put a lot of thought into location. I'll just toss in "close to a MAT line" as a positive factor for a the office space. Cheers!
Keep it up Dusty and Jeff.
Count me in as interested. Keep hustling Dusty and Jeff... you guys are cotinuing to generate really positive momentum for our city!
Awesome! I cannot wait for this to get going. Have you guys looked at the old bakery off saddle creek? Our church was cosidering buying it at one point. Not sure how much work it needs. Just a thought!
It's great to hear that things are coming together. I can't wait to see the end result. Let me know if there's anything I can help with.
A spin off version offering childcare by the hour would be awesome too!
So excited guys!
I have always loved the idea of a coworking space in Omaha. DD would love to help out any way that we can to bring things along. We will be the first to put our name on the list to take part in the space.
Hey guys, I hope the best for you in Omaha! We are in the final stages of setup here in Ames, Iowa. This ideas was compelling to us, so we went out and got some people together to do the same thing. The only twist is that we found many people wanted an open area for coworking and an ability to use/rent an office (based on the type of work they are doing).
I think entire concept is really, really cool. I'm definitely interested to see what all the final details are once all the plans are settled. If you guys need any volunteer effort out of me to help make this happen, just let me know.
Great work guys! Can't wait to see you guys take this to another level.
This is going to benefit many many people.
From our 8 person coworking space, it has helped propel each of our businesses beyond what we imagined.
I highly encourage anyone thinking about being a part of this, to move fast and actually be a part of this.
I think this will be great for the city. Question: is it going to be possible to rent parts of the complex for hourly rates or so, e.g. if a new startup wanted to meet with a client in a conference room?
I know we keep saying it but we should really get together sometime and talk about all this. It's a great idea and I have some connections that might be of use to you guys. Give me a ring....
Thanks for all the kind words everyone! I'll try to answer a few questions here...
@Dave Thacker - Close to a MAT line is a great idea I think! Will definitely add that to the list.
@Maren Hogan - We *haven't* looked at that space. Thanks for the idea though.. I'll shoot you a note to get more details!
@Stef - You can help by getting your "bosses" to pay for a fulltime desk for you! Think of the possibilities! ;-)
@Katrina - Childcare is a great idea. In fact, the AmesColab, a new coworking initiative in Ames, IA was talking about that just today. Maybe not offer, but at least have nearby opportunities or recommendations for good childcare.
@Bensign - We will most *definitely* need volunteer work, an will be taking you up on your offer :-)
@Kyle Hoback - Great question.. Absolutely the various amenities will be provided to members of the community for use. Perhaps this is part of the "daily" rental of the place, perhaps its "by the hour". The details are still being worked out. What I will say, is that the facility will exist to help all startups, and to truly be a valuable resource to the entrepreneur/startup community in Omaha. Whatever we can provide to foster this environment, we want to provide.
@Erik Totten - Would love to chat more about your connections and how we might be able to work together on this. Will chat soon!
That looks like an awesome office to be co-working from!