PRESS RELEASE
Media Contact:
Bob Hagh
Communications Director
Downtown Raleigh Alliance
Office: 919-821-6977
Mobile: 919-796-6606 (Feel free to call or text this number)
Downtown Raleigh Alliance Launches Raleigh’s First Outdoor Office
RALEIGH, NC (September 20, 2018) —The Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) is launching Raleigh’s first outdoor office at Union Station Plaza from October 1 - October 12 in partnership with Alfred Williams & Company. The outdoor office space, Outdoor Office at Union, will operate Monday through Friday from 9 am - 5 pm with Herman Miller outdoor furniture provided by Alfred Williams & Company. The DRA has also partnered with downtown coworking spaces (HQ, Industrious, Nest, Spaces), and area stakeholders and supporters to help create a fun, collaborative outdoor work environment.
The outdoor office space encourages downtowners to take their work outside. In addition to Union Station Plaza benches, there will be seating for 20 people which includes a conference table that seats up to 12 people. The conference table will be able to be reserved in hour time blocks between 9 am and 5 pm; the sign-up link will be made available starting Monday, September 24. WiFi and whiteboards will be provided along with plenty of outlets and a solar-powered umbrella for quick charging of laptops and mobile devices. Special events after 5 pm and other programs will be announced in coming days and weeks.
Kristopher Larson, President and CEO of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, commented, “We’re committed to making Downtown the best place to work in the region. With this project, the downtown workforce will have a fun way to mix up their normal routine while remaining connected and productive.”
Jessica Porta, Director of HQ Raleigh, says HQ is excited to be part of this community project.
“Coworking is all about challenging the idea of the typical work space and this really takes it to the next level,” says Porta. “We are excited to do this in partnership with our other downtown coworking partners such as the Nest, Industrious, and Spaces.”
Through their “Be an Outsider at Work” project in collaboration with Industrious, L.L. Bean shared the future of outdoor coworking environments and its benefits. Some highlights include:
· Over 1.7 million people are projected to work in coworking environments by the end of 2018.
· In a Stanford University study, participants who walked outside for 15 minutes came up with 3X the ideas of participants sitting indoor, resulting in a 300% increase in creativity.
· Their research found that 87% of people enjoy the outdoors, and nearly as many (86%) would like to spend more time outdoors during the workday.
· Indoor employees are 40% more likely to work outside if they have access to outdoor space. And by offering that space for work, employers can boost job satisfaction by as much as 19%.
· 77% of people are more like to do creative work outside than other types of work.
To learn more about Outdoor Office at Union and to reserve a spot at the conference table beginning Monday, September 24, visit [godowntownraleigh.org/outdooroffice]godowntownraleigh.org/outdooroffice. People who visit the outdoor office can share their experience online using #WorkAtUnion.
Coworking partners: HQ Raleigh, Industrious, Nest, and Spaces.
Partners: Alfred Williams & Company, Citrix, City of Raleigh, Kane, Legrand, Lonerider, Offline Media, Stewart, and Trophy Brewing Co.
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The mission of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) is: Advancing the vitality of Downtown Raleigh for everyone. The DRA facilitates this mission through five goals: 1) Build a culture of authentic engagement and inclusion with Downtown’s diverse community; 2) Foster a thriving and diverse storefront economy; 3) Facilitate strategic partnerships to produce positive, balanced activations across Downtown; 4) Improve physical connectivity and accessibility within and around Downtown; 5) Position the DRA as a reliable, responsive, representative, and mission-directed.