A rendering of the new CoOperate Melrose shows the open concept space that was created from a long-abandoned 1970s-era racquetball court.
The much anticipated CoOperate Melrose is ready to open its doors to the community, and all are invited to celebrate the grand opening this month.
Tucked just off of 7th Avenue on Turney, a vacant, 1970s-era racquetball court has been transformed into a coworking space with an art-meets-technology approach that offers what CoOperate manager Larah Pawlowski describes as “a stylish, cutting-edge approach to shared offices and workspaces.”
Showcasing a modern vintage style that captures the esthetic of the Melrose District, CoOperate Melrose is a coworking space that incorporates Faciliteq+AI technology, allowing for adaptable office spaces based on tenant needs. It is also a prime example of adaptive-resuse.
“They bought the building and basically gutted it, but kept the existing racquetball bays,” Pawlowski said.
The bays were then split into upper and lower floors, with plenty of open space between.
“We’ve got a custom kitchen on both the first and second floor,” she continued, “two small therapy-style meeting rooms, and we have a really nice conference room. We also have a training room. And then upstairs, there is a common area space, which will have the kitchen and also a large TV, a banquet table and sofa, more like a homey living style space, which will also be utilized for rentals for events.”
The training room will accommodate up to 30 people; the conference room will comfortably accommodate up to 12, and the smaller rooms can fit four to six people comfortably.
The second floor of the building is also home to Savidan Gallery, which will rotate works by local artists with plans to be open First Fridays.
Art is important to Quentin Abramo, founder of CoOperate. He is also owner of Savidan Gallery in Las Vegas, which is named after his mother, whose collection of vintage Picasso posters were the original basis for the gallery.
Pawlowski said that she knew that when they opened CoOperate in Phoenix, art had to be part of the picture.
“We’re going to continue on with the same passion that he has in Vegas but do it here in Phoenix,” she said. “We’re going to be showing a lot of local art, local artists from Phoenix, and try to stick within that vibe and creativity here.”
A rendering of the new CoOperate Melrose.
Creativity is the name of the game for this new space, and Abramo is excited about the prospects in Phoenix.
“We’re excited to be in the Melrose District because, as our company history reflects, we have an appreciation for old, cool buildings and creative spaces,” said Abramo in a released statement. “The Melrose district perfectly aligned with our vision of honoring older buildings, allowing for adaptable reuse, and establishing a presence in a district that promotes creativity, art and architecture.”
And the surrounding neighborhood is looking forward to the opening as well, according to Julie Hampton, president of the Carnation Association of Neighbors.
“We are thrilled about CoOperate opening in Carnation! Carnation residents serving on the development committee had a sneak peak, when CoOperate hosted our group for a meeting,” Hampton said. “They’ve beautifully repurposed a vacant building into a co-working space to serve the needs of the community, as well as individuals and small teams looking for office space and meeting rooms. This is a wonderful example of thoughtful neighborhood development.”
To welcome the community, CoOperate will host a First Friday grand opening event with live music and an art exhibition, Oct. 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. The event will feature music by Heather Fallon, a presentation by hip historian Marshall Shore, as well as an exhibition in the Savidan Gallery featuring the works of local artists Diana Calderon, Tara Logsdon, Judith Ann Miller, Cheryle Marine, Tara Sharpe and Summer Raine Young. The event will also include bar service by Boozy Bar Trailers, and Sonny’s Gyros food truck will be on site.
Earlier in the day, at 8:30 a.m., CoOperate Melrose will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of their first Phoenix location. Phoenix Vice Mayor Laura Pastor will say a few words at the ceremony as will Abramo.
CoOperate Melrose is located at 555 W. Turney Ave., Phoenix. For additional information, call 480-795-8995 or visit www.cooperate.studio/melrose. Learn more about Savidan Gallery at www.savidangallery.com.
