A year of coworking

In ECIC’s first year, CTNext grant funding sought to grow The Grove’s membership by supporting improved equipment, office expansions to increase capacity, and a community coordinator staff position. 

Throughout the first year, The Grove held dozens of networking and public events each quarter and grew its membership to 160 individual members and 24 companies, supporting 42 full-time employees.

However, by 2018, other co-working and flexible office spaces had opened throughout the city. The ECIC Board decided not to continue operational support for The Grove, considering the competition from other shared office space providers.

new haven’s first coworking space

The Grove launched in 2010 to support freelancers and entrepreneurs as part of Project Storefronts, an initiative to support programs in vacant retail spaces. In 2012, The Grove was chosen as one of four hubs for Connecticut’s Innovation Ecosystem investments and moved to a larger space on Chapel Street. With state funding, they held events to support startups and ran a fellowship program, emerging as one of Connecticut’s premier startup spaces and winning recognition.

By 2018, The Grove faced competition for members and increasing rents after the sale of the building, pushing them to sell. That October, Agora, one of the growing tenants, bought The Grove from Slate Ballard, who was focusing on launching The State House nearby, a venue for cultural and creative events. Agora, run by Elm City Games, operated the space as co-working offices and a retail game store, with an active board game community. 

In the summer of 2019, Agora would close as well, with the opening of District’s Drive co-working space and continued rent pressure.

a legacy in community

Elm City Games continues to operate on Orange Street, in the original retail space of The Grove’s Project Storefront launch. 

Christina Kane, The Grove’s Director of Culture, launched Studio i at Erector Square and consulted for the design and opening of KNOWN Co-working at the nearby Palladium Building. 

While several of the new co-working spaces, like Net.work, would close, others have grown and are working to survive the COVID pandemic.

The State House would go on to host expanded versions of events offered at The Grove, along with a full musical performance calendar, before closing to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.