Trying to find a cheap, private workspace in New York

February 4, 2007 9:39 AM

Where can I find a small, private workspace in New York (Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn)? I do not need it to be fancy, but would need something like a tiny fortress of solitude . . .

I would, in fact, prefer a less fancy space. Nothing for meet-n-greet business types, but more for people who are hidden away trying to make something. Concrete or wood floors, plywood walls, etc. All fine with me and perhaps more appropriate. Oh, cheap, too. I mean relatively cheap.

posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat to Grab Bag (10 answers total)

I can't find it now, but there was a story on NPR within the last few weeks of a writer selling his Manhattan apartment and moving into his storage locker in the basement. (It has a sink and he showers at the gym.) He sleeps on an air mattress and has a desk. He called it his "living to work instead of working to live" arrangement.

Sounds a little crazy, but might be an option.
posted by jeanmari at 10:54 AM on February 4, 2007

If all you're doing is typing, the Brooklyn Writers Space might work for you, but not if "make something" means like hammers and nails...
posted by gwint at 10:56 AM on February 4, 2007

I've heard that the New Yorker hotel--not quite "downtown" but--rents office rooms on a monthly basis for an extremely cheap rate. Weird!
posted by RJ Reynolds at 11:06 AM on February 4, 2007

E-mail me (in profile), I used to work in a group studio on the L.E.S. right off of the F train @ Essex, which sounds like it might suit you.
posted by lovejones at 11:18 AM on February 4, 2007

I can't find it now, but there was a story on NPR within the last few weeks of a writer selling his Manhattan apartment and moving into his storage locker in the basement.

That would be James Braly on last Monday's Marketplace.
posted by harkin banks at 11:45 AM on February 4, 2007

I worked at this building full of tiny and bigger offices where photographers, casting agents, designers, and many other creatives produced work. It was on Christie and Staton, blue door. They post flyers up on the "lobby" of space vaailable and the super was always infront of the mail boxes. It is infront of the Christie park. It was an awesome place to work at. People were friendly and it was quiet.
posted by octomato at 12:01 PM on February 4, 2007

Craigslist has an office & commercial section. Look for artist studios, or renting a desk in an office space and the like.
posted by hooray at 12:20 PM on February 4, 2007

I have to second the storage space idea. My friend's dad owns a building in SoHo and my other friend, his roommate, talked him into letting him make a music studio in one of the storage spaces. It's a tiny, dusty room with bad ventilation and no bathroom, but it's still amazing to have a music studio in such an awesome location.
posted by atomly at 1:09 PM on February 4, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks for the tips. Given the hours, a bathroom would be necessary. I'll follow up on some of these.

BTW, Craigslist real estate and rentals is infested with people (agents) writing in ALL CAPS. I can't take it anymore.
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 2:06 PM on February 4, 2007

Email me - I may know of something in Long Island City.
posted by footnote at 2:40 PM on February 4, 2007