Why installing coworking spaces in multifamily properties is increasingly a wise investment decision.

In the pre-pandemic world, multifamily property owners were strongly focused on creating amenities that would appeal to prospective residents’ desire to socialize and on building a sense of community in their projects. While those considerations remain, the rise of the hybrid work schedule has made creating comfortable and productive workspaces a top priority for residential developers and investors.

Unit sizes were shrinking as the pandemic arrived, and there is little evidence that in-unit workspaces are the most effective way to meet residents’ demands, since larger units result in higher rents and don’t address the typical desire to leave the unit for at least part of the workday. Rather, coworking suites are becoming increasingly common in multifamily projects as a way to help residents be productive, allow them to socialize safely, and activate lobby or club levels in large developments.

According to Phyllis Hartman, president of interior design and architecture firm Hartman Design Group, small work pods with sliding glass doors yield the highest utilization rate for residential coworking suites. The glass is to create “a visual connection to social activity and to allow sunlight into the space,” said Hartman.