Cara Courchesne works Monday in a dedicated office at 75 Park, a new co-working space in Lewiston. Courchesne is a self-employed communications consultant who prefers the space to focus. “I can’t work in my house to save my life,” Courchesne said. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal
LEWISTON — As the work environment continues to evolve, co-working spaces will continue to play a role in fulfilling the needs of workers and businesses in our area.
A new co-working space called 75 Park is open for business, with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at 75 Park St. downtown.
For owners Danielle Snow and her husband, Derek Ribbons, it has been a huge undertaking. They moved back from California during the COVID-19 pandemic — after more than 20 years away from Maine. Snow, a Lewiston native and Ribbons, a Waterville native, have executive backgrounds and extensive training and connections to fall back on.
“We wanted to make a community impact and have a more local impact that we could feel,” Snow said. “Our roots are here, our families,” she added.
In a co-working space people can rent out a desk, called “hot desks,” or a more private office, with most now offering conference rooms, training areas and other amenities, like secure Wi-Fi, kitchens with coffee and tea, a shared receptionist, yoga rooms and more. Now, co-working spaces are looking to offer added value to clients by offering support services and a growing list of technical and personal amenities.
According to office-hub.com, 75% of people consider workplace collaboration “very important.” It’s about more than just a place to work; it’s about a space that fosters collaboration and community. This shift is reshaping the co-working business model for some.
Freelancers and remote workers are being joined by entrepreneurs looking to build a company, larger businesses looking to downsize their office space or offer regional workers a professional space for work.
Most co-working spaces offer month-to-month memberships, making them affordable and flexible.
Snow said she and her husband have worked with startups for years and that’s one area she hopes to focus on, and 75 Park will offer guest speakers, workshops, networking opportunities and more as the business grows.
Danielle Snow, left, co-0wner of 75 Park, talks Monday with her husband, co-owner Derek Ribbons, in one of the conference rooms at the new co-working space on Park Street in Lewiston. The renovated 10,000-sqare-foot space offers desks, offices and amenities. Monthly memberships cater to freelancers, entrepreneurs and businesses. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal
At 10,000 square feet, the former law office building is totally renovated with an investment of more than $1 million. The building was vacant for years and the city purchased it. When Snow and Ribbons went looking for a space to invest in, they were recruited by Lincoln Jeffers who heads the Lewiston Economic & Community Development Department.
They purchased the space from the city, invested their money and got some funding through Community Concepts.
Inside there are 24 desks for rent, 14 offices and six conference rooms of various sizes. Customers have 24/7 secure access and there is a shared reception service. Snow said half of the office spaces are already spoken for.
Cara Couchesne is a member at 75 Park. She founded Upstream Strategies in 2021, a public relations and communications consultancy, and said it’s a perfect fit for her.
“I loved the idea of a community connected through the group mentorship that is available here,” she said. “I also feel connected to Danielle and Derek because, like them, I moved away and chose to come back to Lewiston. That’s important to me.”
Couchesne said she quickly realized that building a business on your own can be as lonely as it is difficult. “A co-working space like 75 Park is a good fit for someone like me. I’m my only staff member, I have a lot to learn from being in a place like this, and I enjoy working where there are other people around.”
Ribbons said the key to their new business is combining what entrepreneurs and small business owners want in an office space with support and community.
“Danielle and I are excited to use our expertise and experience to help grow Lewiston-Auburn’s business sector and economy,” he said.
Membership is not required to take advantage of the resources. They offer drop-in space and meeting space for nonmembers and a range of options for people looking for the support services. Pricing starts at $100 a month up to $1,500 for a large office.
For more information or to contact 75 Park, go to www.75parkst.com, or call 207-810-4233.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
