Nairobi Garage, an office space supplier for startups, has opened a two-floor outlet in the city’s central business district (CBD) on the back of rising demand for workspaces in the area.
The 12,000 square-foot hub at the 20th Century Plaza along Mama Ngina Street is the fifth for the firm, which operates similar spaces in Kilimani, Karen and Westlands.
Surging interest in shared workspaces follows the resumption of business investments in the city centre, whose ongoing facelift and establishment of new modern high-rises is helping arrest the flight of businesses to Upperhill and Westlands.
“We have seen a rise in requests for the CBD even from our current client base. The new businesses moving to the centre of the city want premium space at competitive prices,” said Nairobi Garage director Hannah Clifford.
Just like other hubs, the CBD facility will feature presentation facilities, kitchens, reception services, and business support services.
Launched in 2014, Nairobi Garage is home to hundreds of companies, including multinationals such as Unilever and GE, businesses such as LC Waikiki, Carlsberg, Acumen and individual consultants.
Other companies that also started off at Nairobi Garage include Twiga Foods, BitPesa and Branch International.
In the past two years, the CBD has seen a flurry of developments, which include new footpaths, the commissioning of the redevelopment of the Central Railway Station and improved exit links through the Nairobi Expressway.
Accessibility problems and concerns about the quality of available office space had precipitated an exodus to the budding financial hubs of Upperhill and Westlands, leaving CBD landlords with unoccupied office space.
The popularity of shared and serviced office space has also gone up in recent years, with tenants attracted by the flexibility it offers as opposed to traditional office accommodation where tenants have a fixed location and spend money in acquiring furniture and hiring of support staff.
