The larger half, approximately two thirds of the total floor area is reserved for coworkers.  The back portion has dedicated desks while the front portion is for ‘hot-desking’.  More furniture will be added, as currently the space was set up for the Gala and the dust was still on the floor when the doors opened for business.  The HiVE is looking for more coworkers and the meeting rooms and the large front area are also available for hosting events.  There a variety of pricing plans available.  Event space is available at a discount to local non-profits, of which the DTES has many.

The HiVE grew out of the local community’s desire to replace WorkSpace when it closed suddenly.  The HiVE is a community focused space that is a result of extensive consultation, brain storming, and research.  I was involved heavily in the very beginning, writing letters of support, suggesting Vancity as a possible funder, lobbying hard to have the space located in the inner-city, etc.  So when the Gala opening arrived it was wonderful to see what once a bunch of scribbles and post it notes, be an actual living, breathing, coworking and event space.

The opening Gala was well attended, I spent a lot of time talking to members of City Council, the Planning Department, and the local BIA about what a great addition the HiVE was to the neighborhood and how more work was still needed on revitalization, heritage preservation, and sustainability in Vancouver’s historic inner-city. 

The HiVE is across the street from the Woodward’s complex which is home to: 1000s of people of varying income levels, London Drugs, Nestors, JJ Bean, and the W2 Media Cafe.  It is within walking distance of major public transport hubs such as Waterfront Station.  It is near both the Carrall Street Greenway as well as numerous other local bike routes.  The HiVE is situated between Gastown and Chinatown giving occupants numerous restaurant options for both lunch and dinner.  If you pack your own lunch you can enjoy it at Portside Park (Crab Park) or  the park adjacent to the Sun-Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden.  And after work is through there are plenty of great places to have a pint such as: Steamworks brew pub, the Irish Heather, and the Alibi Room.

The just reopened Save On Meats is also less than a block away, so drop by and see the new space and see what the neighborhood has to offer.

I liberated some of these photos from The HiVE Vancouver Facebook page, apologies in advance if this is an issue.

Update

Nicole, the Queen Bee of the HiVE, sent me some more photos taken the day of the gala.  I’ve included a selection of images taken by Peter Holmes and Kam Leung. More of Kam’s photos can be found on Flickr.

Coworking has gained more traction in recent years (some argue that Brad Neuberg created the first shared office space in San Francisco), particularly with increasing telecommuting options and the rise of a whole new breed of entrepreneurs. While sharing office space with other impresarios can be seen as one of the world’s greatest ideas, the pure geographical proximity does not guarantee that cross-pollination and knowledge-sharing will occur.

Research in the field of economic geography (by the way, economic geography was the main theoretical lens of my doctoral dissertation) has found that for knowledge spillovers to occur, geographical proximity is a necessary but not sufficient condition. In the case of coworking spaces, having like-minded entrepreneurs can have a very positive impact in the general morale of each individual, some cross-pollination and sharing of ideas. However, I believe that a necessary condition for coworking spaces to succeed in fostering knowledge spillovers is to offer a foundational framework (in the form of formal or informal rules or guidelines).

Another great way to encourage the sharing of ideas in a coworking space is to organize monthly/bi-monthly gatherings where like-minded individuals can mingle and exchange thoughts on potential business ideas. It’s important to realize that just by “being there” (e.g. sitting in close proximity) does not guarantee that we will learn from each other. We need to take a first step.

Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega is a Vancouver-based researcher, educator and consultant in the environmental public policy field. He conducts research in water governance, urban sustainability, comparative environmental policy and economic geography. Dr. Pacheco-Vega’s consulting studio has a home at The Network Hub.

But I always wondered if this could be a central element around which coworkers could grow community. A few weeks ago, I asked the members of the Coworking Google Groups whether they thought that having a shared coffee maker would help build community around a coffee break. I got a few responses back, everyone agreeing that it was a good idea.

The thing that really struck me was this thought from Alex Hillman, the co-founder of Indy Hall and widely respected as one of the early builders of the coworking movement. Alex replied to my email saying, amongst other things:

I wouldn’t dismiss the coffee pot (or a water cool) as a social/community building tool so quickly. Having community “places” within the office, no matter how small, provide a reason for someone to get up from their desk and bump into/converse with someone.

For a few months now, at The Network Hub, we’ve begun to share our coffee breaks as we now have a brand new, sleek and stylish coffee maker (espresso/drip) at the office. I named it “Monique” in honor of a dear friend of mine and a fellow entrepreneur, Monique Trottier. Monique Trottier is a wonderful, brilliant entrepreneur, who also has a fantastic sense of style. Since Monique (the coffee maker) is also sleek and beautiful, I thought the name was appropriate. And yes, I think that sharing coffee breaks has in a way helped continue growing the relationship between the community of entrepreneurs at The Network Hub.

Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega is a Vancouver-based researcher, educator and consultant in the environmental public policy field. He conducts research in water governance, urban sustainability, comparative environmental policy and economic geography. Dr. Pacheco-Vega’s consulting studio has a home at The Network Hub.

Depending on the type of coworking space you have, you may or may not have mentorship activities built within. In the case of The Network Hub, entrepreneurs not only have a shared space and the resources to build their business (wireless, physical mailbox, etc.) They can also benefit from mentorship activities.

My own experience as a coworker at The Network Hub has been strongly enhanced by the fact that I have regular meetings with Minna Van, one of the co-owners of this coworking space. We meet about once a week, and we talk about our business. We discuss how things are going, in terms of how we use the time, particular challenges, and all the while, respecting the privacy and anonymity of our clients.

Having these mentoring meetings is definitely one of the best benefits of a launch pad like The Network Hub. While not every coworking space is modeled this way, even if the formal element of mentorship is not incorporated, it’s always good to have at least informal gatherings of entrepreneurs where they can share concerns, ideas, thoughts and challenges. It’s good to have a support group!

Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega is a Vancouver-based researcher, educator and consultant in the environmental public policy field. He conducts research in water governance, urban sustainability, comparative environmental policy and economic geography. Dr. Pacheco-Vega’s consulting studio has a home at The Network Hub.

Camaraderie is a located at 102 Adelaide St E, Toronto, ON. The doors are scheduled to open on Feb 15, 2010 and the space will be free until Feb 28, 2010. I’m hoping that many of the independents that are looking for a part-time, downtown coworking space will check out Camaraderie. The pictures of the space are still very raw.

The Details

• memberships will be $300/mo for unlimited use during business hours
• we’ll work out keys later, but for now the space will be open 9:00am-6:00pm (or later)
• free wifi, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate every day

It was previously reported that coworking@BOB, the newest coworking space in Vancouver, was featured in the Vancouver Sun.  However, Jane Hoges has written a lengthier piece where she visits four coworking spaces in four major US cities for the Wall Street Journal online edition.   New Work City is again featured on the NPR website in an article by Kaomi Goetz.  Finally on CNN.com is a story on Working in Wi-Fi Limbo which would have been improved with more information on coworking options available in most every major city.

In related news i/o Ventures a tech start-up accelerator/incubator with elements of coworking, ie shared office space, combined with mentorship and capital investment, has opened in the Bay Area by one of the founders of MySpace and his partners.  Organizations like this have popped up in Boulder Colorado, Seattle, and Vancouver BC.  Their founders see them as a better way to bootstrap an organization and an alternative to traditional Angel and Venture Capital financing, especially in the seed stage.

Finally for those that have read down this far is an excellent article articulating the Five Things Necessary for a Local Startup Ecosystem.

We signed up a couple new coworkers yesterday but we still have lots of room and are not near our cashflow positive number of twenty coworkers.  We are also getting a lot of enquiries about renting the entire space during the Olympics.  It has been taken. As part of our efforts to revitalize Vancouver’s historic Chinatown and to encourage Olympic visitors to walk three blocks East of Stadium Skytrain station we’re going to have an official art installation in our space.  It will be open to the public and created jobs for two or three locals as greeters.

Unfortunantly it is basically forcing our coworkers, who want to work during February, upstairs.  BOB has a number of spare desks and will add more to the 2nd floor of 163 East Pender.  To offset the Olympic inconviences and to entice professionals and non-profits to consider making coworking@BOB their new home, we’re offering January and February for free if they are willing to sign up for a six month stint with the first payment due March 1st 2010.

We’ve continued to improve the space.  We’ve added some storage lockers which will be available to coworkers for a small aditional fee.  This compliments our other lockable storage options of desks drawers and filing cabinets.  All coworkers will get a cubby (shelf space) and there is plenty of storage for kitchen supplies as well as our loading bay for bikes and what not.

We’ll get some more pictures of the space up on our Flickr account that were taken during our Christmas Open House, in the mean time some were posted by AHA Media.

So I thought, what about BOB?

It had always been in our plans to make available for use by others our main floor at 163 East Pender, but the brain trust was thinking along the lines of event and meeting space.  I proposed making the space also available to coworkers, many of whom were now homeless after the closure of Workspace.  After creating a drawing of our space and writing a vision document, we achieved ‘buy in’ internally and set about seeing what the costs would be.

Building Opportunities with Business (BOB) is a non-profit organization that is championing an inclusive revitalization process for the inner-city that values existing businesses and residents. BOB is a connector, a resource and a facilitator working to: strengthen the inner-city’s community capacity; identify and build on untapped business opportunities; improve employment opportunities and retention; and increase investment in Vancouver’s inner-city.

To further our mission we would like to make available to select partners, individuals, and businesses the main floor of 163 East Pender Street.  We hope that this open shared work space can contribute to the revitalization of the inner-city by providing a space for creative professionals to flourish, for ideas to peculate, to cross pollinate, for businesses to grow, a place where stuff gets done.

What we’re offering is a work surface, be it a desk, a chair, a table, a couch, or the bay window, wherever you’re most comfortable.  Of course we’ll offer wi-fi and other niceties such as an electronic white board and a projector to facilitate discussion and creative thinking. There’s a fridge for your food, a microwave, filtered water cooler, and secure storage for your bike.  The room will be decorated with ever changing art from inner-city artists and galleries plus historic Chinatown is just outside the door to provide inspiration.

Target Audience

We’re looking for creative professionals, progressive thinkers, the socially responsible and ecologically conscious who want to be surrounded by others of like mind.  Folks who want more than a cubicle and a 9 to 5 and dream of bigger things and a better Vancouver to call home.  People who want to support BOB, to see our vision become a reality.

Shared Work Environment

BOB will offer our partners a clean, safe, productive, professional environment in the heart of Chinatown, filled with kindred spirits, and empower them to make an impact.

For Individuals

Individuals, known as associates, will have their own electronic fob to come and go as they please Monday to Friday.  BOB staff will make the space available and provide support between 9 and 5. The coworking hours are 9 AM until at least 8 PM on weekdays, subject to the availability of an approved caretaker and not withstanding any exclusive event bookings.  Our intention is to provide at least eight consecutive hours of access daily.  After 5pm a caretaker will be on hand to ensure a professional and productive environment is maintained and the shared workspace is secured fully at the end of the day.  24 hour access and regular weekend hours are not being offered at this time.

For Organizations

163 East Pender is also a space to hold gatherings, meetings of ten to twenty can take place around the central table, and larger gatherings of over a hundred have also been successful.  Inquire at events@bobics.org to reserve the main floor for your next AGM or networking event.

BOB needs to use the main floor from time to time for our business development seminars, employer breakfasts, and job fairs.  Best efforts will be made to schedule these events between 8am-12pm Tuesdays and Thursdays allowing the space to be used Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings by others.  Weekend and evening events are also possible and will be examined on a case by case basis.

Enough of the marketing speak, where is this idea at?

We have desks, WiFi, and fobs so people can start working out of coworking@BOB now if they like.  We are charging a flat $200 per month, plus GST of course.  Some of the furniture and upgrades to the facilities are not completed, such as tiling in the bathroom.  Tilers in Vancouver are busy people it seems. BOB has already had many events and meetings in the space, we’ll be having our Christmas Open House there on December 16th so anyone who wants to see the space or learn more should contact coworking@bobics.org.  I also set up a special Twitter account just for letting associates know what is going on at the space and am also working on getting Divvy up and running.

Thanks for all the help of the coworking community in getting our space to this state, now all we need is some coworkers, so if you know anyone looking for a cheap but professional place to work out of, send them my way.  More pictures of the space as it takes shape available on Flickr.

We're looking for some coworkers to fill these desks.

Cowo® is the network of 21 spaces (and counting!) that is spreading around in the country since February 2009.

In particular, what I’d like to discuss is the “business sustainable” model we are trying to leverage, keeping break-even point to zero by exploiting existing spaces.

In other words, we are working on the consideration that opening cw spaces inside existing offices and keeping it very basic is a 100% revenue activity.

Thank you in advance for your attention and comments!

Coworking in Buenos Aires (Argentina)

It’s been a long time since my last post on the blog, so for those of you who don’t know we started Cowork Central back in November 2007, we were the first coworking space in Latin America and it is located in downtown Buenos Aires. Much has happened since our opening almost a year and a half ago and we wanted to share some of those thoughts and plans for the future with you.

Many spaces were created in Latin America during this time in the cities of: Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Montevideo (Uruguay), and as I can see from the Wiki right now, a lot more are being planned. This leads me to believe that the coworking movement is actually fitting very well into a very different culture as the northern countries (US, Canada, Europe) have.

Although during this time we had the pleasure of being interviewed by very important national and international press (NYTimes, The Globe and Mail, Clarín, El Cronista, La Razón, etc.) we had a somewhat difficult time trying to attract and evangelize local geeks to the coworking idea. Because of this, most of our members are international visitors that are staying for just a couple of months and then move on. On one hand this is actually pretty cool since it adds a lot of cultural value to the space and it’s members but on the other hand it’s not that good in the long term creation of the community. Reaching local individuals has been one of our most challenging tasks.

A couple of months ago I had the pleasure to visit some coworking spaces in the US (New York, San Francisco and Austin), had the chance to talk to the founders and members of such spaces and I came back with several ideas to implement here in the end of the world.

Open House (Jelly!)

For the time being we are setting up our very first Jelly event. Again, this would be the first of it’s kind in Latin America. This event is scheduled for June 16th and our idea is that if this goes well, we might start hosting more Jelly’s to attracting more people to the coworking community.

Of course, if you happen to visit Buenos Aires, don’t forget to drop by, remember we are participating on the “coworking visa” project.