The days of working in an office from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, have dwindled since the pandemic sent workers running from their headquarters and buildings.
Meantime, on-demand workspaces have been increasing and evolving.
In 2023, nearly 4 million people used coworking spaces, many of them young professionals, start-up employees and remote workers.
The coworking company Industrious is filling the need for flexible workspaces with 15 locations in the Washington metropolitan area and more than 170 workspace locations worldwide.
Merging work, home and play — a future way of thriving
One of the crown jewels for the company is its space in City Ridge in Northwest D.C.’s Tenleytown, on the site of the old Fannie Mae headquarters.
“We are a very flexible workspace with a lot of different products. We have the small, one-person accounting firms or legal teams with 100 people or more,” said Chris Caron, general manager for Industrious, overseeing Northwest D.C. and Maryland properties.
Caron and Rob Wolcheski, project director of City Ridge, shared details about the Industrious workspace and Tenleytown development with WTOP during our Small Business September 2024.
City Ridge includes nearly 700 apartment homes, a Wegmans grocery store, an Equinox health club, a KinderCare daycare facility and several restaurants. Industrious, which opened in City Ridge in 2023, sits at the center of the site.
The merging of office space in an urban and residential development is part of what makes it unique and best in class, Wolcheski said.
The goal of City Ridge Industrious is for members to be able to work where they live, shop, eat and exercise.
“It was designed as a place for the community and the neighborhood to gather, bringing a little extra that you wouldn’t find in other coworking locations,” Wolcheski said.
Making work fun before, during and after business hours
There are some additional perks to being an Industrious member in City Ridge.
“Not only can you have membership to Industrious and access to all the retail, we also have a rooftop pool club that sits in the building where Industrious is located that Industrious members can join,” Wolcheski added.
The coworking company also hosts regular programming with concerts, markets and movies that residents in the neighborhood and people who are working onsite can enjoy.
What sets Industrious apart, Caron said, “is our approach to hospitality. Industrious focuses on its members experience each and every day.”
How does that translate to customers?
From startups to Fortune 500s, the company offers amenities including breakfast, coffee and snacks, as well as onsite printers, scanners, security, call areas, mail service and high-speed internet, all in professionally designed workplaces and conference rooms.
Providing businesses a helping hand
Whether prospective clients are looking to begin a new business, expand a current one, hold meetings or have a business address for a start-up, there are various memberships available for coworking, on-demand and hybrid workers. And Industrious caters to clients whether they work in the office once a week or once a month, Caron said.
Prospective clients will be ushered through the process with the help of an onsite team.
“We really try to align the right products with everybody that comes through the door, just so they’re at ease and getting the most out of their membership,” Caron said.
And once a member, the other Industrious DMV locations are also available for conducting meetings or doing business. “You can meet clients over in Arlington, or you can go down to the Homer building in downtown,” he said.
Wolcheski has first-hand experience as an Industrious customer in the City Ridge site.
“Our corporate office is across the street from City Ridge, but I probably find myself working out of Industrious half of the time that I’m at the property. It’s such a beautiful space. I feel productive there. The hospitality is top-notch. I would encourage anyone to come give it a try,” he said.
Industrious at City Ridge has onsite parking and is accessible to the Tenleytown Metro and all bus lines up and down Wisconsin Avenue N.W.
To discover more insights for entrepreneurs, startups and SMBs shared during WTOP’s Small Business September, click here.
Member FDIC
Bonus for government contractors working in Tenleytown
The Small Business Administration has designated Tenleytown as a HUBZone. This means that workers competing for federal contracting work receive preferred scoring as they pursue such contracts. For federal contractors, conducting business in a HUBZone can be extremely beneficial.
The unique classification in this part of Northwest D.C. makes it the only HUBZone west of Rock Creek Park.
It’s an added-value, said Wolcheski, who is also president of the Board of Tenleytown Main Street, which supports small business development and growth along the Wisconsin Avenue corridor in the neighborhood.
