Hurricane - Putnam County soon will have a co-working space for professionals to utilize.
Area 34, a project of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, is set to open in mid-September, but the building was open for tours on Thursday night.
The space will allow people who work from home a chance to get out of their house while working in an office setting that has a professional feel, said Ashley Alford, Putnam County Chamber of Commerce vice president.
Located right off the Teays Valley exit of Interstate 64, Area 34 will benefit local small business owners and professionals meeting in Putnam County in providing a communal location to work from, rather than a restaurant with Wi-Fi, such as Panera Bread or McDonald's.
Alford said many of the chamber's members have expressed a desire for a co-working space somewhere in the county. Many professionals have an office in Huntington or Charleston, but have to meet with clients or work in Putnam County. Alford frequently sees members working at local restaurants.
"Sometimes they can't stay there too long because it's too loud or there's not enough space," Alford said. "They say, 'I wish I had a place I could go and work or stop between meetings to use the Wi-Fi.'"
The front doors open up to a large space which will have tables and couches for users to work on. To the left, behind reclaimed barnwood doors, will be Butter It Up's new cafe. The cafe will serve coffee and some pastries, unlike its restaurant locations which serve meals. To the right are two pod-style private meeting rooms. Users can reserve these two rooms at no extra cost.
There also is a room with desks for people who are looking to work privately without being distracted by sharing a table.
In the rear of the building is a large conference room that can be divided into one small conference room and one mid-size conference room, seating 12 and 30 people respectively.
Area 34 will have common tools that professionals need, such as printers, scanners, phones for conference calls and fax machines.
In addition to being a space for professionals to work, Area 34 will house the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The three offices receive a lot of cross inquiries, so this will allow for a more consistent, streamlined approach to serving the public.
Alford said she's found co-working spaces are becoming increasingly popular. Martinsburg has a successful co-working space called The Hub.
"It seems to be growing throughout the nation and we didn't want to be last," Alford said.
Unlimited access to the facility will cost $200 a month and a 10-day pass will cost $150. Professionals may also buy a day pass for $20.
For more information about Area 34, visit http://www.area34coworking.com/ or contact Ashley Alford at 304-757-6510 or a.alford@putnamcounty.org.
Reach Laura Haight at laura.haight@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @laurahaight_ on Twitter.