The iconic New York Borough of Brooklyn has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past few decades – in both appearance and reputation. Once the epitome of the Big Apple’s less salubrious underbelly, the area’s regeneration has today made it a haven for hipsters and young families, all drawn here by the diverse array of restaurants, shops, museums, and public parks.
A view of Brooklyn Bridge seen through red-brick Brooklyn buildings (Photo: Brian Lamb via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Brooklyn’s age demographic has also brought a renewed entrepreneurial spirit to the borough, with many self-starters and creatives based here. In response, Brooklyn has become home to a large number of coworking spaces that provide affordable communal working environments for everyone from go-alone freelancers to small-scale start-ups. We’ve picked out 10 of the best.
Work Heights
Founded in 2014 after the conversion of an old junkyard and used parts store into a fully-fledged coworking space, Work Heights is now spread across three Brooklyn addresses. Featuring clean and minimal interior design with lots of natural light, fresh air, and plants, each space has been built by hand from up-cycled materials that give them a vintage feel and encourage creativity and sustainable living, providing the perfect environment to switch on your flow-state. The spaces offers a range of membership packages, starting at $145 for night and weekend access through to $195 per month for part-time flex-desk access, $255 for 24/7 flex desk access, and $455 for a 24/7 dedicated desk. All members can also benefit from super-fast WiFi, overnight locker storage, printing and scanning, coffee/tea/snacks, and use of community lounges and outdoor gardens.
LOCATION 650 Franklin Avenue WEBSITE www.workheights.com
(Photo: Work Heights)
SHARED Brooklyn
Located in a 150-year-old warehouse and offering stunning views of New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan, SHARED Brooklyn is a green, sustainable coworking space built and fashioned by local craftsmen and artisans by utilising as much of the original building materials as possible. The space hosts a community of creative and freelance professionals hailing from a range of sectors, with a choice of short or long term month-to-month membership deals providing maximum flexibility. Each embership also comes with an allocated number of conference room hours per month and other services and amenities include fast WiFi, printing and scanning, unlimited coffee, tea and snacks, a phone booth, a well-equipped kitchenette, and access to regular networking events. Membership packages start at $250 for a Community Seat (10 days a month access) and rise to $435 for a small dedicated desk (or $550 for a large desk). There are also day passes priced at $30 per day.
LOCATION 185 Van Dyke Street WEBSITE www.sharedbrooklyn.com
(Photo: SHARED Brooklyn)
Kongo
Housed in a cool loft space in the hip Brooklyn neighbourhood of Dumbo, surrounded by parks, galleries and boutiques, Kongo is a coworking space for professional but easy going media creatives and other artsy types. Billed as providing all the perks of a creative agency, with none of the politics, from its open space desks to its conference rooms, all of the venue’s work areas were specifically designed to maximise focus, with high speed WiFi, printer and landline helping facilitate efficiency and high productivity. For screen respite, there’s also a ping pong, bar table, Nespresso, fridge, microwave, kitchen and common areas. Membership packages are designed with utmost flexibility in mind, inviting you to extend or reduce your use of the space with ease as your needs change. Pricing starts at $450 per month, including 24/7 access and all utilities. The venue also hosts regular networking and social events, such as ping-pong and beer nights, film screenings and parties, as well as participating in the annual Dumbo Arts Festival.
LOCATION 68 Jay Street suite 503 WEBSITE www.kongo.nyc
(Photo: Kongo)
Prosper Gowork
This renowned coworking space has two Brooklyn locations, both enjoying quaint neighbourhood settings with an array of amenities and attractions nearby. Designed to give remote professionals a place to do their best work in a quiet environment, the venues currently offer dedicated desks and private offices, as well as “zoom” memberships for conference room use only. Other amenities include super-fast WiFi, printing services, phone booths, a kitchenette, free coffee, and picturesque outdoor areas. Membership rates start at $150 per month for Zoom membership, and dedicated desks are $250 per month, with al packages coming with no joining fees and all-inclusive monthly payments.
LOCATION Bushwick & Crown Heights #8 WEBSITE www.prospergowork.com
(Photo: Prosper Gowork)
The Compound Cowork
Created with the vision of moving away from the mainstream concept of what an office should look like, The Compound Cowork is ideally located, just a few minutes’ walk from Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and with plenty of public transport options nearby. Home to a diverse group of entrepreneurs, remote professionals and artists, the space boasts high ceilings, an abundance of natural light, and a wide array of desk and seating options. State of the art tech services including high-speed WiFi, printing and copying, and soundproof headphones help with productive working, while a kitchenette stocked with free tea and coffee, and a cozy lounge with oversized beanbag, hammock and chalkboard, add to the relaxed, convivial atmosphere. A variety of memberships are available, starting at $250 per month for Open membership and rising to $400 for a dedicated desk. There are also Night Owl memberships for $200 for those who prefer to burn the midnight oil. Day passes are priced at $25 per day.
LOCATION 1120 Washington Avenue #2, WEBSITE www.thecompoundcowork.com
(Photo: The Compound Cowork)
Nowhere Studios
A small boutique coworking space, Nowhere Studios is housed within a warehouse featuring exposed brickwork, high ceilings and tons of natural light. Open 24/7, the space is popular with creative types including filmmakers, photographers, writers, designers, and artists. Amenities and perks include complimentary coffee, a huge rooftop deck, a full eat-in kitchen, ultra-fast WiFi, and free printing and scanning. Membership pricing starts at $195 per month for a Flex Desk package, which allows you to pick from more than 30 different workstations and enjoy all of the venue’s amenities. There’s also a cheaper option which allows night and weekend access only, priced at $175 per month. The space also hosts regular meet-ups and social events including classes and monthly BBQs.
LOCATION 1582 Atlantic Avenue WEBSITE www.nwrstudios.com
(Photo: Nowhere Studios)
Bat Haus
Providing a quiet, productive environment, Bat Haus welcomes members from a variety of different disciplines to share resources, space and respect. Open from 9am to 7pm on Mondays to Fridays, the venue offers super-fast WiFi, a print-and-scan station, a kitchen and lounge, two conference rooms, and a backyard area. Membership packages start at $99 for access five days a month, including use of all amenities, and rise to $225 per month for full-time access. All members also get to join weekly social hours featuring booze, snacks and the chance to meet and socialise with your fellow workers. Day passes are also available for $25 per day.
LOCATION 279 Starr Street WEBSITE www.bathaus.com
(Photo: Bat Haus)
The Yard
Spread across three Brooklyn locations, The Yard opened in 2011 with the aim of finding a balance between work and play, where members can congregate to get things done, meet other people and also hang out and enjoy themselves. Each space is designed with a refined contemporary, classic aesthetic with industrial flourishes. Flexible, month-to-month membership packages are priced specific to each location, starting at around $300 per month for hot desks. Day passes are not available. The Yard also provides educational and networking programs and there’s also an Art Program which sees a constant rotation of art works by local and internationally renowned artists being showcased within the venue.
LOCATION Williamsburg Bridge, Williamsburg & Gowanus WEBSITE www.theyard.com
(Photo: The Yard)
BrooklynWorks at 159
Situated in the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Greenwood Heights, well served by transport links, BrooklynWorks at 159 offers a spacious open office where freelancers, small businesses and start-ups can collaborate and grow. Open 24/7, services and amenities include unlimited printing and scanning, conference rooms, common spaces and phone booths, comfy couches, unlimited tea/coffee, a dedicated reception area, shared kitchens, and more. Hot desks are available from $100 per week and drop ins for $15 per day. The space also plays host to regular community events and happy hours, as well as a complimentary breakfast and lunch once a week.
LOCATION 159 20th Street #1b WEBSITE www.brooklynworks159.com
(Photo: BrooklynWorks at 159)
The Bakery
Home to artists and creatives, The Bakery is an old kosher eatery converted into a dedicated coworking space-cum-gallery in South Williamsburg. Spread across six studios, about a dozen desk spaces, and a communal room that can be used for meetings, photo shoots, and project planning, the venue also serves as a venue for monthly social clubs and other regular events. It also serves as a gallery space for artworks by local artists, including some Bakery members themselves. Membership starts at $500 per month for a 6-foot desk in a room with 6 other coworkers, or $950 per month for a private office. Day pass prices are $30.
LOCATION 325 Rutledge Street WEBSITE www.thebakerybrooklyn.com
(Photo: The Bakery)
