The owners of the local coworking space Work Hive closed on a building in the heart of Downtown this morning, capping off a meteoric expansion just over a decade after its humble beginnings nearby.
Work Hive owner Mark Morris confirmed he purchased the building at 56 E. 300 S. and plans to expand his coworking offerings beyond their current footprints Downtown and in Sugar House.
After being at full capacity for years amid high demand for flexible office space in his two current spaces, Morris purchased the 50,000-square-foot building with plans to better meet existing demand and eventually add new offerings like makers spaces and artists studios.
“I’m a believer in Downtown,” Morris said. “There’s a reason why downtowns are growing despite all the things going on in the country. There’s a lot of investment happening Downtown and there’s a lot of reasons people need to be Downtown.”
Morris started Work Hive in 2012 in a space that was about 300 square feet. Before companies like WeWork gained international fame for splashy offerings for remote workers, Morris’ coworking space offered flexibility that wasn’t often available through traditional office leases.
His space became an option for people looking to get their new businesses off the ground who might not have the funding or desire for a long-term lease.
He gradually picked up more space before expanding into the Broadway Lofts in 2019.
Three years later, and under the pressure of demand he couldn’t meet Downtown, Morris bought a historic mansion in Sugar House and retrofitted the space into Work Hive’s second location. Nearly as soon as the second spot opened it was fully leased out, leading him on a search for another location within about two years.
Morris, a landscape architect who runs VODA Landscape Design, eventually set his sights on 56 E. Broadway, a building that previously served as the Mission Theater and later a vaudeville theater.
“Just being at full capacity and having an appetite to grow, this building seemed to fit the bill,” Morris said.
The building later became the Keith-O’Brien department store, an iconic shopping destination Downtown.
The building sits next to a vacant lot that was once home to the Yardstick building. The owners of that space have long sought to lease it out on a 60-year term, which the market hasn’t shown an interest in. After briefly considering offering the building for a 99-year lease, the owners reverted to a 60-year term, and the lot next to the future Work Hive remains a missing tooth on Broadway.
Morris’ purchase, meanwhile, shows that other owners nearby will continue investing in Downtown vibrancy. Under Work Hive’s ownership, Morris will put his tasteful design touches on a much larger scale.
“I’m trying not to be overwhelmed,” he said. “It’s a lot to take on.”
“It’s a huge leap,” Morris said. “I started Work Hive with some colleagues that were in the same boat as me — they just needed some workspace. But over time it’s proven there’s something here and the demand for it has been solid.”
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