A new co-working space called Atmosphere Collaborative Space is set to open in downtown Racine by the end of the year.
Jessica Omelian, founder of Atmosphere, purchased the 1,000-square-foot building at 829 Wisconsin Ave. in Racine in July for about $100,000, and has been renovating it ever since.
There’s a large open space with bar seating and a couple of tables, as well as three private conference rooms members can book by the hour. Atmosphere members will have 24/7 electronic access, and there are five parking spots behind the building they can use.
“We’re just putting the finishing touches on things, getting all the furniture and everything set up so it can be a nice collaborative space,” Omelian said.
Omelian also plans to host programming for the community and members at Atmosphere.
“My intent really is to make sure that the member skills are showcased, so not only events, but skill-sharing,” she said.
Omelian’s full-time gig is as a licensed realtor at Shorewest Realtors in Racine. She decided to start a co-working space to meet other young professionals and help them form collaborations.
“I moved to Racine about four years ago and I noticed that there wasn’t anything for young professionals to really get to know each other, not only on a professional level, but on a personal level, too,” she said.
She’s aiming to sign up about 30 members for the co-working space, which is about a block from Main Street. A monthly membership is $100, and day passes are $25.
Racine recently lost a co-working space when the Launch Box at Gateway Technical College closed on Nov. 30. It had 147 members. Both Omelian and Kristina Campbell, owner of Racine event venue The Branch at 1501, have stepped up this month to fill the gap with their own co-working spots.
