Can a relatively new concept in office spaces spark a downtown back to life?

STAYTON – The concept works in larger, tech-savvy cities, but can it help revitalize areas of smaller towns?

A shared office space is a facility where people from multiple businesses can work in a professional office and share equipment, space and ideas at a lower cost.

The concept has been proven in cities like Portland, Denver and Austin, Texas, but it’s migrating into smaller communities like Stayton and Independence and finding a foothold.

Juli Bochsler recently opened The Box in Stayton, a shared office space in the second story of the Beauchamp Building, a 1913 structure in downtown Stayton at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and High Street.

“I was trying to bring people into downtown Stayton, into the historic district,” Bochsler said. “I thought that might be a better way to bring younger people into downtown.”

Revitalize Downtown Stayton president Alan Meyer points out a similar shared office space in Independence called Indy Commons has been in operation since April 2017 and has thrived with the concept.

“It’s still nice to have a home base that’s not home,” Meyer said. “Especially in Stayton, the mayor will want to stop by, and that doesn’t work really well when you’re working out of your home 100 percent of the time.”

Bochsler considered purchasing the Beauchamp Building about five years ago, but passed on it as her construction business mostly focuses on residential buildings.

But when she started looking for an office she wanted a place to work other than her house, so she purchased the building in January 2018.

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“It was just beautiful. I mean it was a wreck, but it had nice bones,” Bochsler said.

While the history of the building – it was one of the first built with precast concrete blocks; Bochsler is trying to get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places – will be attractive to some, she catered to The Box’s intended younger clientele in remodeling the building.

The space was essentially gutted and items like electrical, plumbing and walls were replaced or repaired.

One of the few surviving items was the hardwood floor, though it had to be repaired.

“We tried to get all the bells and whistles people would want,” Bochsler said.

Though The Box opened in December, it has already has two members: real estate agent Denise Busch and Nicole Miller of Word's Out PR.

“I’m thrilled with all the amenities," Miller said. "Someone even comes to clean on a weekly basis, and garbage and recycling is taken care of."

Shared office spaces have become popular over the past decade with start-up companies, the self-employed and those who telecommute, but want to work somewhere other than at home.

A shared office space like The Box includes amenities such as printers, desks and bathrooms, but also includes conference rooms where members can hold meetings with clients.

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Most shared office spaces are rented through the owner rather than going through a leasing agent.  

Forbes.com reported there were 11,100 shared office spaces in the United States in 2017 and projected there will be 26,000 by 2020.

Liquidspace.com lists two shared office spaces in Salem, 19 in Portland.

Bochsler said there currently is room for 16 people to work in The Box and the space has the potential to house 24 or 25 members.

Part of Bochsler’s job is to explain to some potential members the concept is as it is still relatively new.

“I’ve got some very weird phone calls like, 'Can I sleep overnight there?'” Bochsler said.

The answer is no.

Cost also plays a significant factor.

To have a dedicated office normally means paying to purchase a building or committing to a long-term lease.

Shared office spaces have members who pay a monthly fee. At The Box, memberships start at $149 per month with a high of $400 per month for a dedicated office.

Depending on the level of membership, members can leave and lock up possessions or come and go with their laptop and other supplies.

Bochsler said she intends the remodeled first floor of the building to be a commercial space and had about 10 prospective tenants tour the site in December.

bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler