The Greater Fort Lauderdale area has emerged as a growing hub for corporations and international businesses, with nearly 200 companies having corporate, division or regional headquarters. The region posted the second-largest year-over-year employment increase among all 32 metropolitan divisions in the US, according to the US Department of Labor. Today, Greater Fort Lauderdale is the heart of the “TechGateway,” with global technology and software firms such as Motorola, BlackBerry, Citrix, and Ultimate Software having an office presence that has attracted a deep and diverse talent pool of technology professionals.

“Fort Lauderdale is experiencing strong job and economic growth and new residential and hotel projects are underway, making it a natural place for us to expand our high-quality shared office space brand and serve South Florida's growing entrepreneurial community,” says Pipeline cofounder Philippe Houdard. “The opening of our first Broward location will allow us to further connect our membership base, which will now have access to multiple networks at our Brickell, Coral Gables, Doral and Fort Lauderdale workspaces.”

In the office lease transaction, Shay Pope of CBRE represented Pipeline and Jon Blunk, Laurel Oswald, and Cristina Glaria of Cushman & Wakefield advised the property owner, Crocker Partners. Robert Rausch of Hunton & Williams provided Pipeline legal counsel.

GlobeSt.com caught up with NAI Hunneman vice president Ben Sutton to get his take on some of the reasons why. Ultimately, he tells GlobeSt.com, companies that are part of the emerging technology industry are pushing workplace trends forward.

“As we help tenants find the right space for them this often includes open or co-working style workspaces, which many employees at startup and tech companies come to expect,” Sutton says. “These spaces are a factor for recruiting too. Millennial employees especially aren't interested in the stodgy office cubicle of the past, and co-working spaces can facilitate a collaborative, creative environment. This can be a major factor for employees looking for a company culture that aligns with their personal work style. Shared spaces are also necessary to grow the start-up ecosystem, which depends on the community aspect co-working and have become a relief valve for overpriced and limited vacancy markets.”

MIAMI—Pipeline Workspaces is opening a new shared office space location in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. The alternative workspace company entered a 20-year lease to take down an entire floor at One Financial Plaza at 100 Southeast Third Avenue.

Located in the heart of the city's Central Business District, the 28-story tower is just one block off of Las Olas Boulevard and south of Broward Boulevard. The Downtown Fort Lauderdale location marks Pipeline's first shared office space in the city and its fourth in South Florida. Recently, Pipeline opened in the City of Doral's Central Business District.

Pipeline Workspaces offer shared office spaces, conference rooms and phone booths, dedicated desks and private offices at an affordable price. The alternative workspaces are designed to drive productivity and collaboration.

“Downtown Fort Lauderdale's strong legal and high-tech community, along with its growing international business and population base, make it a strategic location for our model as we expand into new communities in South Florida and beyond,” says Pipeline cofounder Todd Oretsky. “As we've done in other communities, Pipeline is intentionally creating a business and social network that makes it possible for lawyers and multi-national companies to work alongside individuals building businesses.”

The Greater Fort Lauderdale area has emerged as a growing hub for corporations and international businesses, with nearly 200 companies having corporate, division or regional headquarters. The region posted the second-largest year-over-year employment increase among all 32 metropolitan divisions in the US, according to the US Department of Labor. Today, Greater Fort Lauderdale is the heart of the “TechGateway,” with global technology and software firms such as Motorola, BlackBerry, Citrix, and Ultimate Software having an office presence that has attracted a deep and diverse talent pool of technology professionals.

“Fort Lauderdale is experiencing strong job and economic growth and new residential and hotel projects are underway, making it a natural place for us to expand our high-quality shared office space brand and serve South Florida's growing entrepreneurial community,” says Pipeline cofounder Philippe Houdard. “The opening of our first Broward location will allow us to further connect our membership base, which will now have access to multiple networks at our Brickell, Coral Gables, Doral and Fort Lauderdale workspaces.”

In the office lease transaction, Shay Pope of CBRE represented Pipeline and Jon Blunk, Laurel Oswald, and Cristina Glaria of Cushman & Wakefield advised the property owner, Crocker Partners. Robert Rausch of Hunton & Williams provided Pipeline legal counsel.

GlobeSt.com caught up with NAI Hunneman vice president Ben Sutton to get his take on some of the reasons why. Ultimately, he tells GlobeSt.com, companies that are part of the emerging technology industry are pushing workplace trends forward.

“As we help tenants find the right space for them this often includes open or co-working style workspaces, which many employees at startup and tech companies come to expect,” Sutton says. “These spaces are a factor for recruiting too. Millennial employees especially aren't interested in the stodgy office cubicle of the past, and co-working spaces can facilitate a collaborative, creative environment. This can be a major factor for employees looking for a company culture that aligns with their personal work style. Shared spaces are also necessary to grow the start-up ecosystem, which depends on the community aspect co-working and have become a relief valve for overpriced and limited vacancy markets.”