Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA -
A new workspace in Scranton’s downtown will provide an outlet for professionals to work and collaborate in a flexible environment.
Coworking operator Urban Co-Works, based in Schenectady, New York, is thrilled to announce they are expanding their brand of affordable and flexible, industrial-chic office solutions by adding a second location at 116 North Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The new 19,100 square-foot coworking space, will offer over 60 offices, an expansive coworking space with open seating, privacy centers, phone booths, a copy center, and comfortable seating. Members can also enjoy the space’s training room, conference rooms, meeting spaces, a Zen room, a large kitchen, coffee station, and self-service snack area.
The brand is also forecasting to add additional spaces in the Northeastern United States over the next few years. Jeff Goronkin, CEO of Urban Co-Works, said planning has been completed and the new coworking space is expected to be completed by summer 2023.
“We are excited to be moving forward with opening a new location in Scranton, PA, which, like Schenectady, NY, is also nicknamed ‘The Electric City.’ Scranton has a beautiful and vibrant downtown setting. The city has so much to offer professionals who want to work in a revitalized urban setting. Cafés, restaurants, specialty shops, and entertainment are all within steps of what will soon become our second location,” said Goronkin.
“Urban Co-Works’ expansion into Scranton is testament to the city’s work to build a leading business environment that aligns with the future of work,” said Mayor Paige Cognetti, “We look forward to the innovation that Urban Co-Works will bring to our economy.”
Urban Co-Works selected the location with assistance from the Office of Economic and Community Development at the City of Scranton, drawn in by the building’s architecture, specifications, and location. On the interior, Urban Co-Works will carry on its industrial-chic aesthetic, and it will be a space where people will love to work.
On the outside, the revitalized North Washington building will provide an attractive element to the city’s streetscape and attract people and businesses to the area. The Urban Co-Works leadership team is excited to offer its unique brand of coworking to remote workers, work-from-home professionals, organizations, and companies within the Scranton region.
“We want to encourage interactions because it leads to new business and new opportunities,” he said.
The facility will offer a variety of membership options for coworking — either five or 10 days a month, or 24/7 access.
“It fits the flexible needs people may have if they’re working from home,” Goronkin said. “We don’t sign long-term leases.”
He expects pricing at the Scranton location to be similar to the New York office which charges $150 for five days a month, $250 for 10 days a month, and $375 for full-time access. Private offices will cost about $650 per month.
Goronkin estimates the coworking space will be able to accommodate up to about 400 workers through various memberships and anticipates high demand from the community.
“There is a big movement in commercial real estate right now because a lot of companies are not renewing their leases and want more flexible options,” he said.
Day passes for coworking space and hourly passes for conference rooms will also be available, Goronkin said.
Goronkin was attracted to Scranton due to its similarities to Schenectady and the chance to fill a void in the city.
“We looked for communities that were very walkable with coffee shops and restaurants that had a good vibe,” he said. “We came to Scranton and fell in love with it. The downtown is fantastic, and everything is in walking distance. There is a lack in the market in downtown Scranton for coworking. We saw it as a good opportunity for us to come in and bring our brand to the community.”
Charlie Jefferson, owner of 116 North Washington, is enthusiastic about the future for Urban Co-Works. “Jeff’s model is unique and a much needed addition to our downtown community. We look forward to great things from Urban Co-Works as they become an integral part of our neighborhood,” he said.
Urban Co-Works offers a variety of options including single or multi-person offices, part-time and full-time access to workstations, business mailing address memberships, and more. Members can come in just a few times per month to get away from the distractions of working from home, or they can make Urban Co-Works their full-time office. The space has all the amenities one would expect from a class A office environment and more.
“The global pandemic has highlighted the need for flexible office solutions in the commercial real estate market,” said Goronkin. “Many companies are now offering their employees hybrid options where they can split their time between working from home and working from the office. Class A flexible office solutions like Urban Co-Works can help companies save money on overhead and reduce risk by not requiring lengthy lease commitments. Whether professionals are looking for these hybrid work models or are interested in full-time offices, we have a variety of packages that can be tailored to their needs.”
Representatives from Scranton’s Office of Economic and Community Development showed officials from Urban Co-Works various locations and Director Eileen Cipriani believes the new workspace will complement the city’s evolving business landscape.
“It’s a very important initiative,” she said. “It really shows the excitement and energy downtown. We have business startups at the Scranton Enterprise Center we funded that are doing great work. The next logical step when you’re going from an incubator space may be a space like this.”
The new Urban Co-Works will be located at the corner of Center Street and Washington Avenue in the heart of downtown Scranton and right next door to the planned 3,000 square foot mural paying homage to “The Office.”
ABOUT URBAN CO-WORKS:
Urban Co-Works is the premier office environment for startups, non-profits, and other companies with one or more employees. Located in the heart of both downtown Schenectady, NY, and Scranton, PA the industrial-chic co-working spaces are steps away from some of the best cafes, restaurants, and entertainment the regions have to offer. At Urban Co-Works, members make valuable connections, participate in events, and stretch their dollars in an all-inclusive office setting. Wi-Fi, utilities, conference rooms, printing, and a host of other amenities are included in the low monthly fees.
