Rough Draft-NYC: Creative Coworking Studio in Williamsburg by Shyda Hoque
Sep 07, 2016 brooklyn,coworking office,office for rent,rough draft nyc creative coworking studio,shyda hoque,williamsburg
Walking into the pre-war storefront of the coworking space Rough Draft-NYC is as if you are walking onto a set from ‘Mad Men’- no way, this cannot be a place to work?!? It is too cool with it’s polished concrete floors, exposed brick, diverse musical playlist and retro refrigerator! The bathroom is a collage of mid- century magazine advertisements. Yet, it is a place to work and focus and be productive! There is even a lower level with a full screen TV, privacy office for phone calls and lounge area! Rough Draft wins the award for transforming a basement.
Founders Alison Zullo and Glenn Pajarito created Rough Draft as a space for their creative agency Renegade Lovers and an office that could be close by to their home in Bushwick. Rough Draft NYC is powered by 100% renewable wind and solar energy. “The name Rough Draft ties back to the way we think about creative work, that nothing is ever final, but an ongoing process of growing and constantly evolving what we do. And we believe people should love where they work as much as the work they do.” is stated on their website.
I have seen hundreds of spaces over the years but am amazed by how this space was transformed. Alison said, “it was a little bit cart-before-horse, but we actually found the space first and then created our plan for it afterwards.” They were looking to get off the couch and have an office for freelancers and host clients. The space was vacant for 25 years and was not in great shape. Alison and Glenn immediately saw the bones and what it could be. The space is great as it is close to J, M, G and the L train. It is close to several bus lines and near Citi Bike hubs. “We loved the location, all the original details and textures and could definitely see ourselves working from here. The trouble was it was about triple the space we actually needed for our small company, so we decided to house ourselves in the former garage, and turn the rest into coworking, both to help offset our rent and to have other people to interact with.”
The studio is comprised of various work spaces in an open, shared environment. There is also a semi-private conference area downstairs for group sessions. Membership includes: up to ten prints a day, water, coffee/tea, cold brew, beer/wine, snacks, and a creative reference library. We are also one of the few coworking spaces open on weekends!
If you are looking to change it up and also get off the couch, then try out Rough Draft today. It is also a great place to host shoots and events. Looking for a place to get motivated with work this Fall? Then contact Rough Draft-NYC!
