New coworking space enters Tacoma and brings another vintage building back online
There’s a new coworking space on the scene in Tacoma, and the competition for onsite amenities is heating up.
TractionSpace, 748 Market St. in Tacoma, opened Jan. 7 in a refurbished art deco-style building, reviving a site that’s been home to various ventures through the decades.
It first was home to Tacoma’s Azure Swimming Pool and later served as the Tacoma Longshoremen’s Union Hall. After that, the B and B Glass company took up residence, then restaurants and stores. It also has its own off-street parking with an eight-stall lot.
TractionSpace CEO and partner, Don Morrison and his partners purchased the site, located across from the Tacoma Municipal Building, in February 2019 for $1.8 million, according to county records on file.
According to TractionSpace’s news release: “Members can expect regularly scheduled networking events, personal wellness briefings and industry experts covering current business topics. TractionSpace organizers are also planning entrepreneur-in-residence programs, business coaching and executive mentoring to help businesses and individuals navigate successfully into the future.”
It also will have an onsite dining option: Cafe Azure is set to open around Jan. 28, according to Morrison.
The cafe will offer “high quality, handcrafted beverages as well as housemade breakfast sandwiches and burritos made with fresh eggs. Fresh-squeezed orange juice and lemonade, an array of pastries from local bakeries, grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, and snacks will also be available for purchase,” according to the website.
“Small companies and entrepreneurs often experience isolation and a lack of professional resources,” said Morrison. “TractionSpace fills this void by offering personal development opportunities, continuing education and networking-focused environments within a friendly and supportive business community.”
It’s the latest site to compete with other already established coworking spaces in Tacoma that have brought new life to other historic buildings, including The Pioneer Collective and Surge Tacoma.
Surge Tacoma’s co-founder, Eli Moreno, is now in the midst of reviving Old City Hall to establish it as a live-work space with retail and dining.
Morrison knows competition in Tacoma’s reinvention era is strong.
“This is really a different co-working experience than what you’ll find outside of Seattle,” he told The News Tribune via email.
“We use the term ‘enterprise with edge’ to describe that the space is the caliber that you would expect to find at a Fortune500 company but with the feel of a trendy startup. We are also one of the only co-working locations with full video and podcast studios on site.”
The coworking space will hold an open house 4-6:30 p.m. Jan. 29 and is offering introductory rates in its first month. Go to www.tractionspace.com for more information.
