Coworking space operator The Commons is set for expansion thanks to a 'strategic' partnership with Riverlee, a Melbourne-based private property development, and investment group.

With coworking spaces in South Melbourne, Collingwood, and Sydney Central with Cremorne and Melbourne CBD in the pipeline, The Commons is home to the likes of companies like PayPal and Eventbrite. 

Pictured: From left to right, Tom Ye,-cofounder of The Commons, Cliff Ho, cofounder of The Commons, David Lee Development Director of Riverlee, and Peter Tan, The Commons.

The Commons CEO and co-founder Cliff Ho says the partnership came about naturally due to a shared vision between the two companies and aligned values.

“We weren’t actively looking for investment, but Riverlee’s knowledge and proven experience within the Australian property market is unrivaled and made for a well aligned strategic partnership," Mr Ho told WILLIAMS MEDIA.

With coworking spaces offering cool features like open-air gardens, a spin cycle studio, and an indoor basketball court, Mr Ho says the goal of the company is not to become a "juggernaut".

“Our goal is not to be a juggernaut within the industry; we strategically plan each location to ensure we attract a particular type of business to our space and as such, can curate the members we have.

“As the coworking market matures, this approach will create a strong base and push us to the forefront,” Mr Ho continued.

Development Director of Riverlee, David Lee says Riverlee has always strived to be at the forefront of the market as a progressive company, and saw it as a natural progression to enter the coworking space.

Pictured: The Commons coworking space.

“We’ve seen a significant shift in the market in recent years, mostly towards flexibility and the importance of community and a sense of belonging," Mr Lee said.

“We were attracted to The Commons for a number of reasons, most importantly being that they treat their members like family and across each of their spaces, they provide more to their members than any of their competitors do.

“They’re a young, dynamic and entrepreneurial team who value quality over quantity and we are extremely excited and honoured to be a part of The Commons’ exciting expansion plan and future growth.”

While coworking has been growing rapidly in Australia, it's still a relatively premature market.

“Coworking spaces in Australia only take up 0.6 per cent of total office stock, with Central London taking up a total of 4 per cent and New York sitting at 1.2 per cent.

“As lifestyles continue to change in Australia, we expect these figures to continue to grow as coworking cements itself as an institutional part of the Australian market,” Mr Lee said.

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