Ojala Naeem is reSET’s Incubator and IT Manager. This week, she will be traveling over 1,000 miles and exploring different coworking/shared spaces and organizations similar to reSET! You can follow her on twitter at @SocEntTrust, @ImOjala, or using the hashtag #reSETontheroad. 

Albany… The capitol of New York. Yes, the same New York that claims the the small island that packs a big punch – Manhattan. When I think of New York, I think bright lights, endless skyscrapers, and a fast paced city life. A misconception, since that’s not all that New York has to offer, which I learned while spending time in the Capitol city.

Downtown Albany

Crossing the city line into Albany, I was immediately reminded of Hartford and became a bit homesick (way too fast as at this point I had only been on the road for two hours). The view of the Hudson River surrounding downtown Albany had a striking resemblance to Hartford. Not to mention, it was close to 4:00pm and I could already see an exodus of cars leaving the garages of many of the corporate offices.

SUNY Administration Building across from Beahive!

My first stop in Albany was a coworking space called Beahive (not to be confused with CT’s own B-Hive in Bridgeport). Beahive is in Downtown Albany, about 10 minutes walking distance from the State Capitol building and right across from the beautiful SUNY Administration building. There was plenty of on street parking available, and a small pay to park lot ($75/month) right behind the building where Beahive is located.

Times Union Center – The XL Center of Albany

Similar to reSET, Beahive is on the second floor of a large building. On the ground floor, there’s a liquor store (that would make Beer:30 on Fridays very easy!) and small convenience store. Around the corner there’s Jack’s Oyster Bar which has been around since 1913, a few local banks, and a small deli. And just two blocks away is the Times Union Center an indoor arena similar to the XL Center in Hartford (cue homesickness part two).

Entrance to Beahive

The entrance to Beahive was a little tricky to find, hidden in a small alley. Once in, it was easy enough to just hop on the elevator and head up to the second floor.

Lobby of Beahive

The lobby of the space was vibrant with lots of art, beautiful lighting, and dynamic colors (which I learned was courtesy of an architectural firm that occupied the space prior to Beahive moving in). I met Tracy Metzger, the owner of the space, who gave me a tour.

Similar to reSET, Beahive has a few private meeting rooms, a private office, and permanent desks for about 10 members. The rest come in and use flexible hot seating as available. Check out this promo video for the space!

Tracy talked about her experience operating Beahive, she also shared her insight into the start up community and economic development in Albany through her experiences as a real estate broker and member of local economic development boards. The details of what I learned will be shared later on this month, but I hope you enjoyed the teaser so far!

My next stop in Albany is Center for Economic Success (ACES). Check back tomorrow for an update and some great stories from local entrepreneurs! In the mean time, make sure to follow me on twitter at @SocEntTrust, @ImOjala, or using the hashtag #reSETontheroad.