COhatch, a Worthington-based coworking company, is continuing its plans for expansion despite facing a pandemic that has hit its industry particularly hard.
COhatch will open two new spaces in the Cincinnati area in the coming months, one at the Deerfield Towne Center and another in Hyde Park. In the long term, the company plans to open eight more locations in Queen City.
"We see Cincinnati as a perfect fit for our lifestyle concept that brings together entrepreneurs, startups and nonprofits in a community townhall 2.0 concept where we provide the space, locations, tools and activities to help individuals and organizations flourish," CEO Matt Davis said in a statement.
After briefly closing its spaces in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, COhatch began reopening spaces on May 4. The company will be keeping its spaces safe by utilizing signage, sanitation stands, frequent cleaning and temperature checks. It also believes its space is large enough to ensure proper social distancing.
"We're abiding by the official guidelines issued by the State of Ohio," spokeswoman Janet Brumfield told Cincy Inno. "Given that we have lots of rooms at our new location, social distance is all but assured and the building is well-ventilated."
The Deerfield Center COhatch will offer a combination of private offices, desks, game areas, coworking spaces, meeting rooms, large conference rooms and family-friendly indoor-outdoor spaces. The meeting and event spaces will be available to the community as well as COhatch members. It is expected to open in July.
COhatch partnered with North High Brewing to purchase the three-story brick building at 2724 Erie Ave. in Hyde Park for $2 million. COhatch will occupy the second and third floors of the building. The first floor will be anchored by Alfio's Buon Cibo, an Italian-Argentinian restaurant. North High Brewing will occupy an adjacent first floor location, where Keegan's Seafood market was previously located.
In a statement, COhatch said it believes the set up will provide "a unique experience to help foster collaboration among members of the community."
"Joining forces with COhatch is the perfect fit for us," Tim Ward, co-owner of North High Brewing, said in a release. "Members and area residents will be able to sample, taste and buy our beer products that will be brewed and served onsite while experiencing and enjoying all the process has to offer."
COhatch's Hyde Park location is slated to open this fall. The company currently has 15 locations open or under development, representing more than 150,000 square feet of space, mostly in Ohio.
The coworking company also offers "Mobi," a converted 1962 Airstream trailer that it uses as a mobile community center. It can be used for free legal clinics, resume writing, free haircuts for those in need and more.
