Launch Pad, the first coworking space to open in New Orleans, announced last week that they’ll be closing their location in the CBD. The Poydras Street location was their second since they opened in the city 11 years ago, at a time when the whole concept was still developing. If coworking space is your jam, fear not. Plenty of options remain in New Orleans.
It’s a fascinating time for this type of workspace. They’re feeling COVID pain like the rest of us, with reduced capacities and the fear of transmission taking away the communal, interactive vibe that’s a big part of the attraction. The future of coworking is caught between two competing COVID-related trends. On one hand, the expectation is that large, corporate office spaces will become extinct. Will they downsize to the point of being a potential coworking tenants, giving their employees who are primarily working from home a place for periodic meetings and smaller-scale collaboration? On the other hand, home offices and Zoom meetings should survive the pandemic and reduce the demand for all types of workspace.
By the way, Launch Pad must still be optimistic about the coworking future. While they’re closing here and in Memphis, they are opening new locations in other markets.
