NEW 1808 GOOD LATIMER LIVE-WORK COMMUNITY IN DALLAS WILL SEEK LEED CERTIFICATION

Steven Kinder understands that sitting in an office cubicle from 9 to 5 isn’t conducive for all types of work.

Founder of 1808, CEO of LOFTwall, Steve Kinder (Photo: Courtesy of 1808/GoodWork)

People need flexibility in their work spaces, he said. This notion inspired the Dallas native to found LOFTwall in 2008 to manufacture non-permanent room dividers and privacy partitions for commercial and residential spaces.

Now, with a new coworking company, Kinder is cultivating an entire community responsive to varying work needs along with Amy King, CEO of Dallas-based brand strategy firm, Nested Strategies.

“A lot of coworking spaces, they just have an open space, they throw in some desks and they open the door and have a few meeting rooms,” Kinder said. “That’s great for some people. [But,] some people want a little bit different experience. We’re trying to build an environment that caters toward building your own experience and finding your own flow in how you work.”

“We’re trying to build an environment that caters toward building your own experience and finding your own flow in how you work.”
-Steven Kinder

GoodWork plans to open its first coworking space in a refurbished warehouse that will seek LEED certification at 1808 S. Good Latimer Expressway in November. Kinder bought the 60,000-square-foot property, which sits on a sliver of land just outside the Cedars neighborhood, in 2014.

“I felt like Dallas needed a space where people with all different kinds of facets and skills — everything from technology to creating furniture — could have a place to create their ideas and collaborate with others,” Kinder said.

Architect Gary Gene Olp has been working on the 1808 project, which has a 360-degree view of downtown Dallas, South Side on Lamar, and Fair Park. (Dallas Innovates Photo)

Kinder sees coworking as the “heart and soul” of the development he’s calling 1808, but there will also be 12 residential lofts, office space for lease, coffee shop/cafe, makerspace, fitness room, meeting rooms, art gallery/event space, and a rest area.

As the building’s owner, Kinder said he has more freedom to carve the space to fit the needs of community members. He’s also employed environmental architect Gary Gene Olp, principal of Dallas-based GGO Architects, to transform the derelict property into a model for green design.

Olp plans to repurpose many elements of the building such as converting a truck dock into a courtyard and salvaging an interior staircase. Its roofless midsection will become a courtyard complete with glass walls and vertical windows to filter natural light deep inside the space.

“It’s all of sudden going to be this cool, edgy reconstruction that you’re just going to look at and go: ‘wow, that’s really interesting,'”
-Gary Gene Olp

“We’re literally taking this characterless, industrial box and we’re doing all these fun things to it … it’s all of sudden going to be this cool, edgy reconstruction that you’re just going to look at and go: ‘wow, that’s really interesting,'” Olp said.

King, who will manage the coworking side of things, said GoodWork will target both early stage and established businesses. With movable furniture and walls, spaces can be adapted as businesses’ needs evolve.

“[We] can do everything from a dedicated desk for one person to focused, team pod areas where they have some kind of separation,” King said.

Amy King is co-founder of 1808’s coworking community, GoodWork. (Photo courtesy of 1808/GoodWork)

There will also be a particular nod to wellness. King said they are working with a fitness trainer to develop a group exercise program, but there also will be other elements driven by health.

“We want to create cues and things in the space that help remind people to take care of themselves,” King said.

Whether that’s music that facilitates productivity or a game of Scrabble set up to allow members time to decompress. Plus, the building design even integrates wellness, she said.

Olp said the building will use an energy-efficient variant refrigerated flow, a HVAC technology that can sense how many people are in a space and where more heat or coolness is needed.

“It’s very dynamic. The sensors all work together, so that you have a great deal of comfort,” Olp said.

KING HOPES TO BE SIGNING UP COWORKING MEMBERSHIPS BY MID-SUMMER

League City-based Systems by Green Choice, an offshoot company of Texas Solar Resources, will complete the first Texas installation of its new Power-over-Ethernet lighting system at 1808.

Olp said the system is easily customizable and will equate to about .3 watts per square foot of energy use. It can also be controlled by a smart phone and is responsive to daylight levels.

“We can move it around as the space changes without a lot of expense,” Olp said. “It’s a totally flexible system, which is what we see as needed in a very innovative, startup, entrepreneurial environment.”

King said they hope to open coworking membership signups by mid-summer. Like other coworking spaces, prices will vary depending on what kind of work environment a member needs. Right now, prices range from $300-$500 a month. For a flat $99, a member can get 10-day passes to try out the space, King said.

Kinder wants to attract a range of companies to sign on as members. He said he places a lot of value on diversity.

“My hope is to create a space where people can truly get exposure to create innovative ideas and really help take those ideas, expand on them, and accelerate them to have more impact outside our walls,” Kinder said.

Feature photo: Courtesy of 1808/GoodWork

PHOTO GALLERY

Architect Gary Gene Olp, president of GGOArchitects, plans to move his office to 1808 Good Latimer in October 2016, where he will create a sustainable resource library. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

Exterior wall panels will be cut out and replaced with modern windows. Architect Gary Gene Olp plans to repurpose the panels as walls for an adjoining parking lot, using professional graffiti artists as part of the project. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

View of the Texas Star from the rooftop of 1808. The rooftop patio will be dog friendly. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

Skylights ready for installation at 1808. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

Architect Gary Gene Olp will preserve many original details from the circa-1910 building such as this unique ceiling. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

Vault in 1808 Good Latimer. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

The original banisters will be restored by metal workers. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

The tile on the stairs remains in near-perfect condition. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

The last known use for 1808 Good Latimer was as a dance hall. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)

(Dallas Innovates staff photo)

(Dallas Innovates staff photo)

Part of the second story facing Good Latimer will house loft-style living spaces, from 785 to 1,000 square feet. (Dallas Innovates staff photo)