Platform Blog


Office Choices

September 30, 2023 in Coworking Philosophy

Coworking Office vs. Traditional Lease in Chicago: A Comparative Analysis

Choosing the right workspace in Chicago is a crucial decision for businesses of all sizes. Two popular options are coworking offices and traditional leases. Here, we will compare the two based on several key factors to help you make an informed choice.

Cost:

    • Coworking Office: Coworking spaces in Chicago typically offer flexible pricing options. You can rent a desk, private office, or meeting room on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. This flexibility can be cost-effective for startups and freelancers.
    • Traditional Lease: Traditional office leases often require a long-term commitment, which can result in higher upfront costs and fixed monthly rent. However, for larger, established businesses, this can provide stability and potentially lower costs per square foot in the long run

 Flexibility:

    • Coworking Office: Coworking spaces are known for their flexibility. You can easily scale up or down as your business needs change. This is ideal for companies with fluctuating space requirements or those looking to test a new market.
    • Traditional Lease: Traditional leases typically lock you into a set space for an extended period, which can limit your ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Amenities:

      • Coworking Office: Coworking spaces often come equipped with various amenities, including high-speed internet, printing services, fully furnished spaces, kitchen facilities, and communal areas. These extras can contribute to a productive and enjoyable work environment.
      • Traditional Lease: While some traditional office spaces may offer amenities, they may not be as comprehensive as those found in coworking spaces. You may need to invest more in setting up and maintaining your own office infrastructure.

Location:

    • Coworking Office: Coworking spaces are usually strategically located in prime areas of Chicago, offering easy access to public transportation and various amenities such as restaurants and shops.
    • Traditional Lease: You have more freedom to choose your location with a traditional lease, but prime locations often come with higher rents.

Networking Opportunities:

    • Coworking Office: Coworking spaces foster a sense of community and provide networking opportunities through events, workshops, and a diverse mix of professionals sharing the space. This can be valuable for startups and entrepreneurs.
    • Traditional Lease: While you can still network in a traditional office setting, the community aspect is often less pronounced, and you may need to make more of an effort to connect with neighboring businesses.

Privacy and Branding:

    • Coworking Office: Coworking spaces usually offer various levels of privacy, from open desks to private offices. Branding and customization options are available to set up your office how you’d like. 
    • Traditional Lease: With a traditional lease, you may have less control and more restrictions surrounding how you’re allowed to set up your office. 

 The choice between a coworking office and a traditional lease in Chicago depends on your specific business needs, budget, and growth expectations. Coworking offices provide flexibility and cost-effective solutions for startups and small businesses, while traditional leases offer more control over your workspace but come with long-term commitments and potentially higher upfront costs. Assess your priorities and objectives carefully to make the best choice for your organization’s success.

Platform Coworking is one of the top spots in Chicago!

October 22, 2023 in Uncategorized

Platform Coworking is proud to be named as one of the top coworking spaces in Chicago by Travel Magazine. We’ve come a long way and have even more on the horizon.

Platform

(Photo: Platform)

Platform Coworking was founded in 2008 in the beautiful Ravenswood neighbourhood, with a second spacious location now in Wicker Park. They pride themselves on their diverse and inclusive community and laid-back atmosphere, which is conducive to a productive work environment. On-site services and amenities across the spaces include printing, a conference room, an outdoor patio, and free teas/coffees. Pricing for 24/7 access starts at $225 per month for a flex desk monthly membership, which includes unlimited usage at any unassigned seat. They also offer day passes for $25-30 per day. Additional perks are their relationships with local businesses that offer exclusive discounts to members, and their member events. They hold monthly educational events that explore career-related and timely topics, along with social holiday/seasonal themed events.

See the whole article below:

https://www.travelmag.com/articles/coworking-spaces-in-chicago/

Covid-19 safety procedures

November 15, 2020 in Uncategorized

COVID has become more of a common illness through the world. Here in Chicago, we’d like to reiterate our commitment to safety measures within our space to mitigate exposures as best we can:

  • All spaces continue to be regularly cleaned, throughout the week.
  • We have deployed both automatic sanitizer gel dispensers at each location, along with hand sanitizer spray bottles.
  • HVAC systems are on an accelerated filter replacement schedule, along with regularly scheduled maintenance .
  • To the extent possible, doors are opened to promote cross ventilation.
  • Multiple HEPA filters are on all day throughout the space.

Platform Coworking – Phase 3 / ReOpening

May 28, 2020 in Uncategorized

Hey Platform Members, it’s been awhile.

We’re still waiting on exact confirmation of dates for Chicago’s move to Phase 3. Our best guess is around June 8.

Although our office has remained open to essential workers during the statewide stay-at-home order, we will welcome back all of our existing members for Phase 3.

New safety measures will be put into place upon your return, and will continue to be implemented as time goes on, as needs and conditions change. We will send out emails to all members to clarify new procedures.

Please note, unless it’s for the few remaining offices at our Wicker Park/Ashland location, we are unable to take on any new desk memberships at the moment. We will reopen new sign-ups as conditions allow.

1 Office and 1 desk available

February 26, 2020 in Uncategorized
Hell hath frozen over…

For the first time in… we don’t remember how long—Platform Coworking’s Ravenswood location has available:

  • One 2-person office at $750/mo
  • One resident desk, at $390/mo

Sign up for either one by March 6 and we’ll take 25% off the first month’s bill. Give us a call to schedule a tour.

You can check out more, here: http://platformcoworking.com/locations/ravenswood