The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals. Sign up today!
Coworking spaces are a hot commodity, and if current trends are any indication, we’ll see plenty more popping up in the coming years. But the concept isn’t perfect. Sure, coworking spaces are far less public than a coffeeshop, but if your business requires privacy, security, quiet, or a bit of luxury to make clients feel comfortable, most shared offices come up short.
Enter Firmspace, the Austin-based luxury coworking space that just opened its first outpost in Denver. Perched on the 16th floor at 1401 Lawrence Street, the LoDo location offers private offices with floor-to-ceiling walls, modern finishes, and lots of natural light.
That's only $1 per issue!
Here, members pay a monthly fee (starting at $750) that covers a private office (rented not by square footage, but by number of desks, ranging from one to five), plus amenities including concierge services, access to the building’s gym, snacks and coffee, and twice-weekly meals.
Because Firmspace’s Austin location caters to attorneys, privacy has always been a priority for this coworking company. “Just in case we had members who were opposing counsel, we needed sound-masking technology in the offices and conference rooms,” says marketing director Sarah Newson. “We don’t do ‘hot desking’ or rent out chairs; we only offer private offices or suites. Everything we’ve done is with privacy and security in mind.”
But that doesn’t mean the space is lacking in comfort or style. Offices feature ergonomic chairs and easily adjustable stand-up desks, and even interior rooms have plenty of natural light. “We tried to play off the outdoor lifestyle that’s so important in Denver,” Newson says of the modern design that’s warmed up with hardwood flooring in the halls, sleek furnishings in rich walnut tones, cozy conversation niches, and, in the common area, a brass-accented, wood-clad island that doubles as a shared workspace and a bar.
“We’re trying to offer luxury at work so people love where they work,” Newson says. And for Firmspace members, that location could be Denver, Austin, or wherever the company goes next, as members enjoy access to other Firmspace locations when they travel. (A Houston office is scheduled to open in early 2019; Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, New York City, Salt Lake City, and Washington, D.C. are on the radar for future expansion.) “The places we pick always have walkability and tons of natural light,” Newson says. “It seems our clients love the outdoors; they definitely have that in common.”