A new York City business set to open later this week is getting a big financial boost from a group of York County philanthropists who think CoWork155 has the potential to invigorate downtown York.
YorIT, a York County Community Foundation committee that awards grant money each year, is giving $20,000 to the membership-based workspace for entrepreneurs, telecommuters, freelancers, sales executives and others who work from home.
"We couldn't be more thrilled," said JJ Sheffer, site manager for the 4,000-square-foot facility at 155 W. Market St. "This is going to allow us to do much more a lot sooner."
CoWork155 will celebrate its grand opening from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday.
The grant "means that as a business it's going to be sustainable much sooner," Sheffer said.
"It's lowered our risk considerably," she said, adding that the extra cash will also help CoWork155 buy some furniture that otherwise would have had to wait.
Based on the second floor of the old Sears, Roebuck and Co. building downtown, CoWork155 is the upstairs neighbor of the Downtown York Visitors Information Center. Inside the office is access to Wi-Fi, printing, copying, faxing, a large conference room, small conference room, storage space, kitchen area and more.
The cost to join varies by the level of membership for the site.
YorIT got its start four years ago by a group of young philanthropists who pooled their money to create a social-venture grant fund. This year, the YorIT committee solicited ideas specifically geared toward invigorating downtown York City.
Each year, applicants submit YouTube videos outlining their ideas. The committee then narrows the list to finalists, who submit fuller proposals.
This year, eight submissions included website development for small businesses, a group that wants to purchase a bicycle-sharing station for downtown and a group of women who need a permanent work space to make things out of recycled materials.
YorIT also announced Monday that it will award $6,500 to the folks behind YorShoppes, a series of pop-up stores that would temporarily sell products from otherwise web-only businesses.
In their YouTube video, YorShoppes creators say they'd use empty, downtown storefronts for temporary retail space.
Sheffer said she's confident that CoWork155 will have an immediate positive impact on York.
Of the 13 members already signed up, many don't currently work downtown. That means the collaborative work space will inject some new foot traffic into the downtown scene, Sheffer said.
Sheffer said she's also hopeful CoWork155 will inspire some new local businesses among people who might have otherwise been too intimidated to take the leap.
"Now they feel like that structure is kind of in place," she said.
- Erin James may also be reached at ejames@yorkdispatch.com.
