Office Space News
Ignition Alley Opens Atlanta’s First Co-Working Facility
Published October 19th, 2009 by Jennifer LeClaire
Ignition Alley is officially the City of Atlanta’s first coworking space. The facility, which is located between Atlanta’s thriving Midtown and Virginia Highlands neighborhoods, provides a place for independent professionals to work, share ideas and even start new businesses.
Ignition Alley features an open and flexible office space designed to create a community of like-minded individuals who work on their own projects and collaborate with others. Members can drop in as needed and pay accordingly, making for a flexible, affordable environment.
The value of a coworking space extends beyond its physical structure. It’s a way to connect bright, energetic people who can learn and accomplish more together than they could alone.
Already an emerging trend, the growth of coworking is highlighted in this online map which pinpoints about two hundred coworking spaces worldwide, most of which went into business in the last few years. Coworking has been gathering steam in Atlanta’s startup community for the past couple of years and recent market conditions have made it an ideal place for this concept. Several facilities have opened outside of the city but Ignition Alley is the first to set up shop in town.
Co-founders of Ignition Alley, and Georgia Tech graduates, Tim Dorr and Mike Schinkel started collaborating on a coworking space during a chance meeting at a coffee shop in June 2009. Dorr’s company, A Small Orange, will occupy a quiet corner of the space paving the way for the financial feasibility of the facility.
“Fueled by the growth of my own company, I became increasingly aware of a need for a physical space and a collaborative environment that would act as a growth catalyst for startups,” says Dorr.
Schinkel, a tech entrepreneur who runs the popular Atlanta Web Entrepreneurs group has been evangelizing coworking for a couple of years. He saw the need for a space in Atlanta where people could cultivate a community and have meet-ups that serve that community.
“The value of a coworking space extends beyond its physical structure. It’s a way to connect bright, energetic people who can learn and accomplish more together than they could alone,” says Schinkel.
With an estimated 21 million people working from home coworking is not only for those in the tech industry but also for anyone who can work from a computer, such as artists, writers, and salespeople. Having an option like this is a very attractive alternative to working from home or from coffee shops each of which has its limitations from isolation to lack of professional meeting space. As an SEO consultant and one of Ignition Alley’s inaugural members, Charles Lumpkin is looking forward to coworking.
“Placing entrepreneurs together helps to incubate business growth. I’m looking forward to collaborating and lending my expertise to those around me,” says Lumpkin.
Ignition Alley’s coworking office space is airy and bright, with wide-open spaces and comfortable retro modern furniture. The space is divided into a “loud room” with lounge areas that encourage conversation and collaboration and a “quiet room” with desks & benches designed for productivity. The space features up to date business amenities and the design is modular and can be rearranged to suit groups of various sizes.
Members will be able to choose from modestly priced packages that range from occasional access to occupying a permanent desk. And all memberships agreements will be month-to-month giving members the flexibility to participate according the their changing needs. Soon Ignition Alley will be open 24 hours a day giving members around the clock access to the tools, resources and relationships they need to grow.
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Maggie Correta October 20th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
This is really cool. I can’t believe that Atlanta didn’t have any other coworking facilities, though. That’s kind of weird. There must have been some jellys or something somewhere. Looks like Ignition Alley is poised to tap into a need there. I’d love to see a follow up report on their dealings in a few months.
Melanie Jones October 20th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
This is the cool part: The space is divided into a “loud room” with lounge areas that encourage conversation and collaboration and a “quiet room” with desks & benches designed for productivity. I think that’s an appropriate way to divide a coworking facility.
Bill Brookshire October 20th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Looks like a trio of real entrepreneurs who saw a real need for alternative office space in Atlanta. I hope they do well. Atlanta needs this sort of officing solution. If there really isn’t any direct competition on the coworking front, there probably soon will be. Ignition Alley can get the first-to-market advantage.
Marcus Hester October 20th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Looks like they hit a sweet spot in terms of location between the Midtown and Virginia Highlands neighborhoods. These are hot and growing areas. I expect to see Ignition Alley fill up quickly. I’m astonished that there’s no other coworking facilities there. I guess that goes to show you this is still a new trend.
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