COVE Expands High-End Co-Working Concept

The reception area at COVE. John Benford Photography.

Co-working space remains popular among startups who need professional spaces to meet with clients and plug-in a laptop without the hassle or expense of renting more office than they need. But, when Developer Stephen Kelm decided to open his own co-working space in downtown Portsmouth, he wanted it to be different. And being different has paid off as the organization just underwent a recent expansion.

Kelm says many co-working spaces provide cheap furniture and minimal technology. “It’s about getting a bunch of people into a space. It’s driven by economics to generate the most revenue on a per-square foot basis.” What Kelm wanted to provide was first-class office space with high-end furniture (including ergonomic chairs) and state-of-the-art technology, including smart boards in the conference rooms.

The result was COVE, or Cooperative Venture Workspace, which launched in 2011 after he spent $1 million to develop the property. “We wanted something everyone could appreciate. We wanted to have an upscale feeling,” says Jennifer Ramsey, the architect who designed the original space and the expansion. “We wanted clean and simple, understated and sophisticated.”

In 2011, COVE hosted 15 member businesses. That has now grown to 60. That  demand is what triggered the need to add 10,000 square feet. The expansion cost another $1 million but allowed COVE to add eight workstations and a long work table for part-time members. One of its members, Bangor Savings Bank, is also building out a section of COVE for its own offices.  

A shared lounge for members. John Benford Photography.

COVE has three membership levels. Part-time members can access COVE’s amenities up to 10 days a month. Full-time members have their own workspace and executive office level members have their own private offices.

Amenities include mailboxes, reception services, printing services, high-speed wi-fi, coffee and water, a shared lounge area, a shared kitchen and dining area, private phone booths for members without private space, and the opportunity to engage in educational and professional development events. There are also four conference rooms with audio-visual technology for presentations and smart boards. All members receive a downtown Portsmouth address. “That’s important not just for appearances but also for Google listings,” says Emma Partridge, member relations coordinator.

“Members appreciate the finish and quality,” Kelm says. “It is an extension of their business, a reflection of their business, and it helps to sell their business.” He adds that the COVE also attracts mature businesses not just startups and about 20 percent of its members are large companies that use COVE to provide a satellite office for remote employees who don’t want to meet clients in a coffee shop or need an office to escape the isolation of a home office.

“The membership here is here to work but they also like to have a social element,” says General Manager Scott Blidberg. He adds the appetite for such space is “huge” in Portsmouth as there are many professionals in the region who work remotely from home.

Meeting rooms that members can reserve. John Benford Photography.

It’s clients include a writer, a videographer that provides slide deck presentation services, a collegiate clothing business as well as a firm that helps connects high schools with exchange students. COVE can also accommodate the changing needs of members as they grow, Kelm says, as he has seen members go from being part-time on a desk to renting a dedicated office.

Among them is Jonathan Day, executive director of the Digital Marketing Center, a nonprofit founded in January 2017 with a mission to bridge the digital marketing skills gap in the workforce and help businesses with digital marketing. Digital Marketing Center began as a part-time member and recently started renting office space. “We needed a place to meet with clients that was not a coffee shop. This place was gorgeous,” Day says, adding the ability to have a downtown Portsmouth address was also a draw. Another advantage is the networking he has been able to do with other members.

“We’ve received and given so many referrals out of this place,” Day says. For more information, visit coveworkspace.com.