0 Looking for Coworking Office Space in Back Bay?

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Wil Catlin

shared office space in Boston's back bay

Credit: The Metro

Not ready for prime time space, but ready to get out of the garage? The Back Bay submarket appeals to a wide variety of firms for a number of reasons. Access to transportation, an educated vast work force, and a large concentration of employers in a small area all contribute to this submarket’s popularity among Boston office space users.

In an interview with the Metro, Oficio co-founder and managing partner Nima Yadollahpour notes, “because an entrepreneur needs less to run a business (a laptop and cell phone), it only makes sense to keep their overhead low, and using a shared co-working or office space is the perfect answer to that…It’s economical, efficient and communal.”

Prominent Coworking Office Space in Back Bay Boston:

Oficio
30 Newbury St. 3rd Floor
or
129 Newbury St. 4th Floor

Idea Space
867 Boylston St., 5th Floor

LearnLaunch
31 St James Ave. #920

Unfamiliar with the area? Read our submarket page to learn more about Back Bay Office Space.

0 Inventive Labs: Incubator space for Entrepreneurs

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: InventiveLabs

Do you follow a less traditional path? Sitting in a cube not your thing after getting a four year degree? Inventive Labs is like the co-working space for the entrepreneur.

The BBJ notes, “InventiveLabs leases a 10,000 square-foot space in an old brick building in the up-and-coming town of Amesbury, about 30 miles north of Boston…With two fully stocked kitchens, three custom work labs, a lounge area, special rooms designated for sleep and study, along with a gaming room and a large open space (which will be the incubator once it gets up and running), one could practically live at the facility, which is accessible around the clock.”

More information on InventiveLabs is available on the company’s website, or you can read the Boston Business Journal article.

0 Bustling Office Demand Limits Lab Space in Boston, Cambridge

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

lab space at 640 Memorial Drive in Cambridge

Credit: capitalprojects.mit.edu

Lab space is nearly impossible to find in Cambridge and Boston. Companies that are looking to bring their concept to market can capitalize on brain tank of talent can find space within the greater East Cambridge market. Some landlords like Beacon Capital are considering converting traditional office floors to lab space to accommodate the market demand.

According to a Boston Globe report, “an additional 1.9 million square feet of lab space was under construction last quarter that will grow the Greater Boston lab market by more than 10 percent, according to Transwestern’s figures. Most of that space is near Kendall Square in Cambridge, and is scheduled to be finished in 2015 and 2016.”

You can read more information on the lab space market in Cambridge and Boston on the Boston Globe’s website.

0 Entrepreneurial Demand at MIT Outgrows Space

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: The Boston Herald

Our up and coming innovators are being told to wait at MIT! The demand for some of the innovative classes is outpacing the school’s ability to service students along with listing seats for alums looking to join the MIT Innovation Lab. This is a sign that our economy still has a long runway ahead of innovative ideas from some of our creative thinking individuals.

From the Boston Herald:

“We’re bursting at the seams,” said Vladimir Bulovic, associate dean for innovation in the School of Engineering and co-author of the preliminary report. “There is a tremendous drive by students for more and more entrepreneurial activity.”

“[A report commissioned by the university] recommends a number of solutions, including a co-working space for recent MIT graduates, the construction of two “Innovation Hubs” on campus, and the creation of the Laboratory for Innovation Science and Policy, a department that would study the innovation process and how to foster it.”

0 Boston Mulls Visible Corporate Logos on Buildings

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: NBR

Where should corporate branding start and stop? We have seen the T embrace corporate visibility, moving throughout the city, but do you want to see it on the top of all Boston Buildings? I would be in favor of branding on a case-by-case basis, but not across the board.

Banker & Tradesman reports, “financial services giant State Street Corp. was allowed to hang a high-profile shingle atop its 36-story One Lincoln St. headquarters in 2003 and its One Channel Center office complex that opened this past June in South Boston. So, too, was prized biotech recruit Vertex Pharmaceuticals after it moved from Cambridge to anchor Boston’s Innovation District in 2013, and Converse Inc. as it nears completion of its new headquarters at Lovejoy Wharf.”

B&T also includes a quote from Mayor Walsh, offering his perspective on Boston buildings brandishing corporate logos: “if we’re going to have companies invest significant numbers of people in a particular area and take a large portion of the building, I have no problem with them putting a name on a side of the building.”

0 The Right Time to Move into a Larger Office Space

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Grrouchie.com

Simply put, you know when your business should move into a more formidable space when your business demands it. This might mean annual cost or it might mean image, either way understand what is important to your organization and what amenities are necessary; cost is not always the driver.

Entrepreneur.com offers some general guidance for Boston businesses on the move:

“First, you’ll need to interview several real-estate brokers who have experience in the area where you’d like to rent. Second, identify exactly how much space you’ll need now and in the near future. Factor in growth, but be realistic in your estimate and don’t take on much more space than you need. Then you and the broker can begin looking for spaces that meet your space requirements, budget, location and office layout. Once you find a space you’d like to lease, then you should hire a real-estate attorney to review the agreement.”

0 Office Security a Growing Consideration for Boston Businesses

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: CityMetric

Our world continues to change, and buildings that once didn’t require you to sign in now require a government-issued ID for access. To me, it’s a logical progression; we lock our doors at home and our car doors in parking lots, so we should be similarly clear on who we let into our workplace. People need to feel safe without feeling caged in.

When prospective office users are touring space in Boston, building security and property access is a topic all care about. Some prefer a locked building with key card access only while other prefer a staffed lobby where identification is required.

“In some office towers, clients compared the secure company headquarters in New York City to the Boston satellite office and wondered why there was such an open door in Boston. This comparison prompted some building personnel to needlessly upgrade security and perimeter protection to assuage fears,” according to CityMetric.

In your search for the perfect location and space, be clear on what security and safety measures your coworkers and customers value most.

0 Emerson College Looks to Acquire Transportation Building

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Boston Globe

The state could be looking to sell the Transportation Building to Emerson College. Should the state entertain an open bid process for the asset to ensure it gets top dollar?

From the Boston Globe:

“The school’s president, Lee Pelton cautioned that any deal, if it were to happen, is still at least several years away, and that the college would face competition to buy the space. But for Emerson, known for its communications and performing arts programs, such a move would mark the latest ambitious push to expand its footprint in the dense, pricey, and rapidly evolving neighborhood on the edge of Boston Common.”

“In the past decade, the college has built a pair of facilities and converted several buildings into academic space and student housing. And on Thursday, Emerson announced it will soon start construction on a dorm that had been previously announced. It also is seeking city approval to expand an existing residence hall.”

0 Boston Office Market Leads the Nation

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Charts courtesy of Marcus & Millichap via MHN Online

Boston continues to lead the nation with one of the most stable office markets which is due to a strong local economy.

Research data from Marcus & Millichap, published on MultiHousingNews.com, reaffirms this claim:

“Over 38,500 jobs were created in 2013 in the city, increasing payrolls 1.5 percent. By the end of 2014 employers will add 40,200 new jobs, of which 14,000 will be office-using positions—a 2 percent increase from last year…Developers completed approximately 4.2 million square feet of office space over the last twelve months as compared to merely 1.4 million square feet in the previous year. Around 5.2 million square feet currently under construction in the metro area is expected to come online throughout 2016.”

“According to Marcus & Millichap, approximately 3.2 million square feet of office space is set for completion by the end of 2014—a 1 percent increase from 2013—with new inventory being heavily concentrated in the Boston/Suffolk County and Route 128 North submarkets.”

You can read the full report on MHN Online.

0 BBJ Interviews Kenneth Goldberg of Bernkopf Goodman

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BBJ

A true professional; I have had the opportunity to sit across from Ken and I appreciate his perspective, approach and candor.

The BBJ published a riveting interview with Ken Goldberg that I compel you to read: Outside the Box: Kenneth Goldberg of Bernkopf Goodman.

Here’s an excerpt from the interview:

“Is there anything else that might surprise people about you? There are a lot of people who are a whole lot smarter and I work hard to make up for that. I might be up all night or well into the night to prep for a meeting — just to be fully prepared. I come across on the ball and in command. But I prepare so that I’m the best prepared in the group.”