News

PHOTOS: ALX Community expands mini-empire with new coworking office in Old Town

By James Cullum
1/25

Coworking chain ALX Community recently opened the doors to their fourth location in Old Town. The office at 101. N. Union Street allows pets, has impressive waterfront views,

Cofounder Kelly Grant says her business rebounded after the pandemic, despite — or perhaps as a result of — the city’s declining office values.

Grant says that her clients prefer flexible work spaces.

“When people and companies started coming out of the pandemic and looking around, they realized they didn’t need as much space, and they wanted a lot more flexibility,” Grant said. “That’s what we provided, and it’s worked. We started in 2018 with only 7,500 square feet, and now we have about 80,000 feet under management.”

The new two-story, 17,000-square-foot ALX Community Office Suites is fully furnished, with prices starting at $5,900 a month. The suites can hold five-to-30 employees, and the office allows 24/7 access for members. Amenities include free tea and coffee, private meeting rooms and phone booths, lounges, a rooftop deck and a waterfront patio.

“All they need to do is come in and plug in, Grant said. “All the furniture is done, all the chairs are in the right places. We have the coffee, we have tea, and we have floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Potomac River with gorgeous views. In addition to that, we have technology that allows our members to be able to really work the hybrid experience in a way that doesn’t make it exhaustive.”

Like their other ALX Community locations, the office is also pet-friendly. The other offices are at Founders Hall, at 201 N. Union Street and in the Atrium building at 277 S. Washington Street.

The location at 201 N. Union Street and the new Office Suites at 101 N. Union Street make a proverbial coworking office sandwich, with the Torpedo Factory Art Center between them.

Grant says the company won’t expand outside Alexandria, and that she and her partners are waiting for the right opportunities to pursue properties in other areas, such as the West End.

“We absolutely love the West End,” Grant said. “We’re so excited for the development that is happening in the Landmark area. If we can find the right real estate partner, we would absolutely look to do that so we could grow our footprint and make it easier for people to work better with a community that supports them.”

A grand opening for the new ALX Community Office Suites will be held Thursday (Oct. 24), from 6 to 8 p.m.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.