LOCAL SHARED WORKSPACES COLLABORATE TO CELEBRATE 3 YEARS OF THE ‘COWORKING’ MOVEMENT IN THE HUDSON VALLEY

Participating are BEAHIVE (Albany and Beacon), The Purple Crayon (Hastings-on-Hudson) and W@tercooler (Tarrytown)

Coordinated Open House Events – Thu, June 7

A growing worldwide movement in collaboration called “coworking” — where people work in a shared space, alone and together — is growing in the Hudson Valley. Three local pioneers are collaborating to celebrate three years of the movement in the region: BEAHIVE in Beacon and Albany; The Purple Crayon Center for Learning and Social Innovation in Hastings-on-Hudson; and W@tercooler in Tarrytown.

The original coworking spaces were started by nomadic internet entrepreneurs seeking an alternative to working in coffee shops and cafes or to isolation in independent or home offices. Common to larger metropolitan areas, the coworking movement is now a global community of people dedicated to the values of collaboration, openness, community, accessibility, and sustainability in their workplaces.

By Deskmag’s estimates, there are more than 1300 dedicated coworking spaces worldwide, having doubled each year since 2006. According to its “2nd Global Coworking Survey,” 80% of members of coworking spaces report a positive impact on their business network, 92% on their social circle and 75% a positive impact on their productivity.

BEAHIVE — the first such space in the Hudson Valley — celebrates its third anniversary this month. The original BEAHIVE opened in May 2009 in the heart of Beacon’s Main Street, a second swarmed to Kingston later that winter, and a third hive opened in Albany in March of this year. (The Kingston hive is closing this month.)

The Purple Crayon’s shared workspace, The Inc., and W@tercooler both turn one in June.

To celebrate these milestones, all three organizations will host open houses and happy hour networking at their respective spaces on Thursday, June 7 from 1:00 to 7:00 PM. Each space will open their doors to the public to introduce this new way to work, allow people to try out the space for free, and get a chance to know some of its members and programs and network with others in the community.

OPEN HOUSES
Thu., June 7
1 – 5 PM: free coworking day
5 – 7 PM: happy hour networking

BEAHIVE
291 Main St, Beacon, NY (event info)
418 Broadway, Albany, NY (event info)

The Purple Crayon
52 Main Street, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY (event info)

W@tercooler
21 North Broadway, Tarrytown, NY (event info)

Coworking spaces address the changing nature of work. Already, 42 million people, nearly one-third of the US workforce, are independent workers, according to Freelancers Union. And many economists agree that record unemployment and other factors will continue to drive more people into self-employment. Meanwhile, New York State already has one of the largest populations of microbusinesses (fewer than five employees) in the nation, according to statistics published by the Small Business Association (SBA).

Media sponsors: Green Guru Network, which promotes all things green in Westchester and the Hudson Valley, and Chronogram, a free monthly magazine that nourishes and supports the creative and cultural life of the Hudson Valley.

BEAHIVE is a new kind of collaborative space for work and community. With hives in Beacon and Albany, its ultimate aim is to support a Local Living Economy, one that is vibrant, sustainable, locally rooted and human-scale.

The Inc. @ The Purple Crayon Center for Learning and Social Innovation makes it easier to do the work you love and to grow the work you do, with a beautiful, professional, fully equipped space, many affordable working options, and a supportive, congenial environment for productive work.

W@tercooler is a 1650 square foot light-filled open-plan workspace located in the heart of downtown Tarrytown. With a variety of workspace options, members can choose from private desks, shared tables or hip lounge area to do their thing, and can opt for hourly, daily or monthly plans. Amenities include a conference room (with LCD and dry erase wall), WiFi, printing, faxing and scanning, a shared kitchen (replete with endless Fair Trade coffee), as well as an intern program, downtown discount card, lectures, workshops, and best of all, community!

Media Contacts:
Scott Tillitt, BEAHIVE – scott@beahivebzzz.com, 917-449-6356
Sarah Hinawi, The Purple Crayon – sarah@purplecrayoncenter.org, 646-325-0317
Jenifer Ross, W@tercooler – jenifer@watercoolerhub.com, 914-261-1470

BEAHIVE Bzzz, Event

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