Employees choose community over cubicles at 'co-working' space in Alexandria

Many people have the option to work from home, but some telecommuters and entrepreneurs are turning to another option. Shared office spaces called "co-working environments" are becoming a growing trend.

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Connect113 coworking space
The new Connect113 building in Old Town Alexandria gives telecommuters and locals a place to connect beyond cubicles.

Jennifer Folsom said, "My recruiter works remotely, my partners are remote, so I wasn't getting that kind of answer to back and forth creative energy that I needed."

So Folsom stepped out of the traditional workplace and into a co-working center in Old Town Alexandria.

"Here I feel like I can go in and make some great connections, put my head down and work...and it feels good," shared Folsom.

Connect113 offers meeting rooms, work space, lounge areas and technology similar to what you would find in an executive office, but co-founder Billy Winburn says you'll also find flexibility and interaction among different professional circles.

Winburn told us, "Much like an office or a small company you have benefits greater than what you can get as an individual."

Plus, costs can stay relatively low. Clients at Connect113 can use the space for as little as one hour or on a regular basis at a cost of $8 for one hour or $350 a month.

"Typically, an executive office is going to run anywhere from 800 to 1600 (dollars) depending on the size of the office," stated property owner and co-founder Rob Kaufman.

Kaufman opened the space six weeks ago, giving locals and even visitors a new option.

"There's only a certain length of time before a Starbucks gets a little old...working at home there are only so many days or weeks before you just say 'I've got to get outside of these walls,'" explained Kaufman.

Aaron Titus chose community over cubicles to start-up his English tutoring business and says it's paying off.

Titus said, "You get to leverage the abilities of everyone around you. When somebody asks me, 'do you know somebody who does something...?' I can say 'yeah, I sit right next to them.'"

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