DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — A new website helps Brooklyn freelancers find office space and love all in one place.
A crew of London-based techies recently launched a website called "Deskcamping" that helps freelancers and startup organizations rent desk space in London, Berlin and, most recently, New York City, with a focus on Downtown Brooklyn.
The site — similar to Airbnb — allows users to post an "ad" if they have available office space. Freelancers can then cruise the site looking for a space that fits what they're looking for.
But it's not just about copy machines and paperweights.
Deskcamping focuses on the "vibe" of an office space more than the facilities and that distinction might aid in office romance, according to co-founder Nick Couch.
"It’s not exactly a dating website, but it’s closer to that than Craigslist. We have ‘office vibes’ on our profile pages which give you a sense of the workspace culture," Couch said. "Things like whether people go for regular work drinks ('Cheers ears'), or even if a bit of office flirting goes on ('Desk cruising')."
The site launched in December and there are currently 300 users offering desk space, a third of which are in New York. Rental costs range from $100 to $650 a month and daily rates start at $15. Some office perks include bike parking, waterfront views, showers and dog-friendly work spaces.
For now, the demand for space is currently higher than the supply, Couch said.
"DUMBO is jam-packed. The Brooklyn Navy Yard has a waiting list of companies trying to get in. And Downtown Brooklyn’s most recent overall office vacancy rate has fallen below 5 percent," Couch wrote on the Downtown Brooklyn BID's website. "We’re going to need to think about commercial real estate differently."
"We're encouraging more workspaces to rent out spare desks," he told DNAinfo. "We've got loads of cool (and friendly) freelancers ready and looking."
And as for love connections, Couch said he hasn't heard of any yet but felt confident that the site would facilitate dating.
"Office romances happen all the time," he said, adding that he's a magnet for office romance. "I've had at least eight this year!" he joked.
