WorkDistrict: Space for Working, Learning and (Maybe) Some Funding

From Nick Barron. Follow him on Twitter @nbarron; email him at nick[AT]borderstan.com.

There was a time, not long ago, when a co-working space amounted to desks, WiFi and complimentary coffee, but a newcomer to DC’s shared office scene is taking co-working and jacking it up a notch.

WorkDistrict, at 14th Street and Florida Avenue NW, offers co-working space, computer coding classes, and potential resources for companies interested in raising money through crowd funding.

On the learning-to-code front there’s CodeDistrict, WorkDistrict’s answer to what they say is demand from the community to learn how to program websites and mobile applications. You don’t need to be a WorkDistrict member to take a class.

The first CodeDistrict class is coming April 20, and will cover the basics of developing a mobile application for Apple’s iOS platform. (iOS is what your iPhone and iPad use.)

Then there’s the potential crowd funding piece for WorkDistrict. Crowdfund Capital Advisors (CCA), a firm working to make crowd funding a reality in the U.S., is one of the founding members of WorkDistrict.

More Than a Work Space

In fact, WorkDistrict CEO Patrick Menasco explains the idea behind WorkDistrict was firstly crowd funding.

“The vision was to focus on crowd funded businesses,” Menasco said. “While awaiting the SEC regulations (implementing crowd funding), we’ve focused on pure co-working, as well as the new educational play with CodeDistrict.”

Once the federal government allows crowd funding, Menasco expects WorkDistrict members to benefit from the co-working space’s relationship with CCA.

“If and when those regulations come out, we will provide informational resources to help startups with their crowd funding efforts,” Menasco said.

And what about the co-working space itself?

It’s 3,000-square-feet with work from DC artists on its walls, private offices, a kitchen, free coffee and, of course, WiFi. Current members include CCA, Fission Strategy and the technology think tank TechFreedom.

WorkDistrict offers three membership options: Drop-in, Monthly and Private Office.

For organizations and freelancers looking to work in a communal, urban environment, WorkDistrict may be a good fit.

“Our environment is communal, with members open to sharing their products, ideas, experiences,” Menasco said. “We’re young, urban and edgy, centrally located and cheaper than any other nearby co-working space.”

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