The Evergreen Extension is luring office space rental companies to the Tri-Cities to serve the region's growing technology and small business sectors.
Offering a mix of office services, conference rooms, private offices and co-working space where people work at a desk or table in an open room and share lounges and kitchens, these companies are filling a niche for start-ups whose proprietors are looking for a more professional working environment without the investment of equipment, furniture and long-term leases.
"Most of our membership is small business-based and a lot of sole entrepreneurs out there. It's becoming a trend," says Darryl Bosa, founder of CMPNY, which will open a 13,000-sq. ft. space at 3007 Glen Dr. in March, not far from the Lafarge-Douglas SkyTrain station. "Working out of their basements or living rooms, they don't necessary need the big office but there are times they need it and they need the social aspect of it."
CMPNY has a similar office in Burnaby with a number of amenities, including ping pong and foosball tables, a meditation room and space for photography or shooting video. When mulling expansion, it considered the Tri-Cities because of its proximity to the SkyTrain line, Bosa said.
"When we look at our demographics, a lot of our members don't have cars, they'll take public transit," he said, "Whenever we are assessing a site, one of the critical questions we ask is 'How close are we to transit?'."
Similar considerations prompted Regus, a well-established British firm to take over 18,000 sq. ft. at 220 Brew St. in Port Moody. The company offers furnished, flexible workspace options out of Onni's new Suter Brook Village office building.
"Having the Evergreen Station right there was a bullseye focus for us," said Wayne Berger, executive vice-president of Regus Canada and a former Port Moody resident who is now based in Ontario.
Among the companies interested in flexible office space are software developers, financial organizations, lawyers, therapists and recruiters, "We also have some tech companies and a number of app design companies," said Berger, whose company opened its doors in November in PoMo.
Regus' clients are people who find working at home isn't as productive as they thought, Berger said, and want to portray a more professional image. Operating with low cash flow in a constantly changing business environment, "They may be looking for open collective spaces where there are brainstorming facilities; they may work from different location and come together to work as a team," he said. Proximity to transit is ideal for this sort of collaboration, he said.
And working alone doesn't mean you should have to give up companionship and collaboration. CMPNY's Bosa said members enjoy a speaker series, lunch-and-learn opportunities, and Feel Good Fridays, among other social events, because it makes them feel like they are part of a team and can learn from one another.
"We try to make it easier for our members to get to know each other so they they know they aren't the only ones in the startup phase."
In addition to the proximity of transit, the companies see the Tri-Cities as a growing hub for tech-based small businesses whose owners are seeking a work-life balance, including having their babies or children close to them.
In Port Moody, Regus has located above Kids and Company daycare, and in Coquitlam, CMPNY plans to offer a child-friendly space where parents can work.
Michael Hind, CEO of the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce, said sharing office space and resources is a good option for fledgling businesses. A longtime Chamber member, Irene Barr, has offered similar opportunities at Elite Business Centres for years, he noted, but with the growth in the number of small businesses in the Tri-Cities as well as the opening of the Evergreen Extension and the growth of the local tech sector, the region is poised to take advantages of new trends in working and business.
"I think you're seeing there's a market out here. Everybody is looking at work differently, the world is looking at work differently."
