Coming soon: New Plexpod River Market space will be a welcome sign to KC entrepreneurs

Plexpod is continuing its ride north along Kansas City’s streetcar line — announcing today a new co-working and office space on Delaware Street in the River Market.

“River Market is like any other district in the metro,” said Gerald Smith, Plexpod founder and CEO. “Entrepreneurs are everywhere and access to affordable flexible office space is a huge plus for that area.”

The 8,000-square-foot space — on the first two floors of 510 Delaware — is expected to open in December.

Location was key in picking the new site, Smith said. It not only activates a space along the streetcar line, but is in the first building on the left after crossing the highways into the River Market district.

”What better way to demonstrate all of the entrepreneurial things happening in River Market than with a Plexpod welcome sign?” he said.

Plexpod already operates locations in the Crossroads, Westport and Lenexa, offering 16 types of work styles ranging from open desks and collaborative workspaces to private offices and team spaces. Locations feature meeting rooms, photography studios and performance theaters, as well as personal amenities including outdoor space, social events and fitness options.

The startup debuted its Herspace concept at Plexpod Westport Commons in September.

“River Market will be our smallest Plexpod location yet, and we are excited to see how it acts as a satellite to our other locations,” said Smith. “A key feature of Plexpod is that members get reciprocal access to all of our other locations across the metro. Many of the Plexpod member-companies that utilize this benefit consider it equal to having a second, third, and now fourth office location. Plexpod members can book meeting rooms and meet with prospective clients at any of our locations, and at no additional cost.”

Betty Rae’s Ice Cream

Plexpod signed a lease with Epoch Developments, a firm that restores vintage buildings and converts them to active lifestyle communities in the urban core. Epoch currently owns 22 vintage buildings (about 500,000 square feet) that are designed and/or operational and 3 acres of infills in Wichita and Kansas City, Missouri.

The developer’s holdings include 10 of the 18 street-facing buildings on historic Delaware Street, and Epoch is in the midst of plans to build up the area as a walkable, creative district with a focus on local merchants, share space, creative businesses and live-work-play offerings, said Craig Slawson, founder of Epoch Developments.

“River Market has always been cool, but the addition of what is happening along Delaware is most significant,” said Smith. “The number of restaurants and eateries that have popped up in the last year is significant and more are on the way. Betty Rae’s alone is a fabulous reason to office there.”

Plexpod was named one of Startland’s Top Startups to Watch in 2018.