Co-owner Adam Porter in front of the newly installed Pursuit Coworking sign in Midtown Harrisburg
Harrisburg’s first co-working venture has undergone a rebrand and plans an expansion, as it responds to a quickly changing work environment.
Starting this week, StartUp Harrisburg is now Pursuit Coworking, a name that better reflects the company’s business model and growth strategy, according to co-owner Adam Porter.
The company’s owners made the change to emphasize that they offer co-working space for many different types of businesses and jobs, not primarily for startups.
“We wanted to steer away from the early 2000s tech scene that co-working started from to reflect the broader appeal that the concept has with a shift towards remote work,” Porter said.
Porter and co-owner Adam Brackbill began their business in 2013 in a building on the 1500-block of N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg. Three years later, they moved into newly renovated space at N. 3rd and Boas streets, into a 1920s-era building originally constructed as the Harrisburg Moose Lodge.
Porter said that business has been brisk over the past few years, especially after the pandemic pushed many workers from their traditional offices. Last year, Pursuit’s owners added a second location, taking space in a building on the 1000-block of N. Front Street.
“Even very traditional jobs aren’t in the office full-time, if at all,” Porter said. “That’s where we see the increase coming from.”
He expects this trend to continue, even as the pandemic eases after the winter spike in cases. Workers have grown comfortable with remote work, but many also can’t or don’t want to work at home all the time, Porter said.
Some workers, he said, prefer a hybrid approach, with a mix of office and remote work. Others work remotely full-time, with some living in the Harrisburg area even though their companies are located in other, often higher-cost cities.
“People expect flexibility in their working arrangements now,” Porter said.
In response, demand has increased for all three of their co-working options—dedicated offices, dedicated desks and hot desks—leading the company to pursue additional satellite locations in Harrisburg.
Currently, they’re focused on downtown, as that area has both an abundance of office space and proximity to amenities, such as coffee shops and restaurants, which is important to their members, Porter said.
He likes the prospect of bringing more people into the center city, as the pandemic has disproportionally hurt small businesses downtown that long catered to state government and other office workers.
“Once they’re here, they go out for coffee, lunch or to the (Broad Street) market,” he said. “So, we’re able to help drive customers to local businesses.”
He added that members are able to tap resources they may lack at home, while finding camaraderie and networking opportunities in a co-working environment.
“While many of us now work from home, the flexibility offered by co-working is a welcome benefit to those who crave connection and find productivity in a variety of settings,” Porter said.
Pursuit Coworking’s flagship location is at 922 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.
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