Houdard: Orlando is evolving into an incredibly vibrant city, fueled by the growing number of new companies and jobs. The city is now being recognized as one of the fastest growing markets in the US, with a robust and diverse economy coming from the healthcare, technology and entertainment sectors. In fact, Forbes recently ranked Orlando as the second-fastest growing city in America.

We have a well-developed process for evaluating and selecting expansion locations, and Orlando fit perfectly based on the number of young start-ups and creatives as well as the concentration of established companies that continue to grow. Downtown Orlando has seen a major uptick in residential and commercial development with new projects such as Creative Village that are creating the type of walkable live, work, play atmosphere that speaks directly to our membership demographic.

GlobeSt.com: Why is the coworking trend now picking up steam in Orlando and do you foresee further growth?

Houdard: There is a dramatic shift in the way people want to work these days as they are moving further and further away from isolated environments. It can be limiting even to be with the same small group of workers every day. We are seeing that people want more reach, they prefer to plug in and be engaged with a broad array of talented people in an intellectually diverse community.

Energetic entrepreneurs and innovated companies in Orlando are seeking out every possible advantage to bring on new customers and outperform their competitors, making co-working a natural fit for the city. We are only at the beginning of this trend as more people are recognizing the inherent value of working side-by-side with forward-thinking entrepreneurs and companies.

MIAMI—Pipeline Workspaces is heading north. Pipeline Orlando will occupy the 11th floor at 20 North Orange Avenue, located in the heart of Orlando's Central Business District at the corner of Orange Avenue and Central Boulevard.

Pipeline Orlando is the company's fifth location in Florida. The brand has previously opened spaces in Brickell, Coral Gables and Doral, as well as Fort Lauderdale. Pipeline also occupies two floors at its Philadelphia location.

GlobeSt.com caught up with Philippe Houdard, co-founder of Pipeline Workspaces, to get his thoughts on the Orlando market in part one of this exclusive interview. Stay tuned for part two, in which he will discuss the competitive advantages of working on alternative office space.

GlobeSt.com: What factors attracted Pipeline Workspaces to the Orlando market and specifically downtown?

Houdard: Orlando is evolving into an incredibly vibrant city, fueled by the growing number of new companies and jobs. The city is now being recognized as one of the fastest growing markets in the US, with a robust and diverse economy coming from the healthcare, technology and entertainment sectors. In fact, Forbes recently ranked Orlando as the second-fastest growing city in America.

We have a well-developed process for evaluating and selecting expansion locations, and Orlando fit perfectly based on the number of young start-ups and creatives as well as the concentration of established companies that continue to grow. Downtown Orlando has seen a major uptick in residential and commercial development with new projects such as Creative Village that are creating the type of walkable live, work, play atmosphere that speaks directly to our membership demographic.

GlobeSt.com: Why is the coworking trend now picking up steam in Orlando and do you foresee further growth?

Houdard: There is a dramatic shift in the way people want to work these days as they are moving further and further away from isolated environments. It can be limiting even to be with the same small group of workers every day. We are seeing that people want more reach, they prefer to plug in and be engaged with a broad array of talented people in an intellectually diverse community.

Energetic entrepreneurs and innovated companies in Orlando are seeking out every possible advantage to bring on new customers and outperform their competitors, making co-working a natural fit for the city. We are only at the beginning of this trend as more people are recognizing the inherent value of working side-by-side with forward-thinking entrepreneurs and companies.