The Seedboat Collective Seeks Community Contributors For Three Tiers of Membership
Silver City, NM — Behind a 28-foot walls on W. Yankie Street lies an expansive courtyard that, when the wide double doors are open, invites passersby in. Two glass doors lead into two separate indoor spaces. One is a performance and event venue. One houses the first ever coworking community in Grant County. Both, along with the courtyard, are part of a new local business: The Seedboat Collective. And the latter opens to professionals this coming Monday, January 5.
Designed for remote workers, solopreneurs, freelancers, and small teams, The Seedboat Collective coworking space is equipped with high-speed internet, height-adjustable desks, two community tables, a soundproof phone booth, a private huddle room, and a conference loft. A full kitchen and two restrooms provide the necessary facilities for workers accustomed to being stationed in their own homes.
Three tiers of membership offer varied levels of access to the offerings. Flex memberships are $110 per month. Dedicated desk plans cost $160. Private offices rent for $500. Assembling a diverse mix of people is key for The Seedboat Collective coworking community, as studies show that face-to-face collaboration positively impacts well-being and work engagement.
Those wanting to rent the space may inquire through The Seedboat Collective website, which is theseedboat.com.
"Remote work makes living in Silver City possible for many of us," says Jennifer Olson, who co-owns and operates The Seedboat Collective with her husband Brent Steinberg. "Being so near the Gila National Forest and within a small but vibrant town, Silver City is a desirable place to live and raise a family. The main challenge for people our age is finding high-wage, high-growth career opportunities."
Until now, there's been a lack of dedicated remote work resources in this part of New Mexico. "Our goal with this is to prevent brain drain and—selfishly—keep some of our friends and peers here," Olson says.
Members events include yoga classes and regular happy hours with cocktails and mocktails crafted with Filthy products, as one early member works remotely for the leading brand in the premium mixers and garnish space.
The Conference Loft at The Seedboat Collective is an inspiring space equipped to elevate ideas and promote dialogue during meetings, whether fully in-person, virtual, or hybrid. A 10-person conference table gives everyone a comfortable seat around a Meeting Owl and within view of a gleaming dry erase board and a 65-inch Smart TV. Dedicated desk and office memberships give individuals access to the Conference Loft. Rates for the public are $50 for a two-hour session, $80 for a four-hour session, and $150 for an eight-hour session.
"We hope the warm, thoughtful space as a whole will promote connection between people and groups, leading to greater vitality and keeping talent and out-of-state salaries in Silver City," Olson says.
Also this winter, Fire & Ice Pizza is holding regular hours in the courtyard of The Seedboat Collective. The mobile kitchen will serve coworking members as well as community members on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And for the opening Monday of the coworking space only, Fire & Ice Pizza is setting up shop there at the start of the week, too.
Olson and Steinberg are open to discussing hosting other small businesses offering products and services which add value to The Seedboat Collective as a community hub and a place where patrons of all demographics gather to work, connect, and discover. "Please send us an email or schedule a time to stop by using the 'book a tour' form on our website," Olson says.
On weekends and after hours, we look forward to using the performance and event venue to host celebrations, live music, workshops and enrichment programs, as well as youth activities during school breaks. Those wanting to rent the space may inquire through The Seedboat Collective website, which is theseedboat.com.
Co-owners Olson and Steinberg have backgrounds in hospitality, storytelling, and events. She is a fourth-generation Grant County local who attended the University of New Mexico then worked for a national magazine in Colorado before returning in 2013 as a remote worker—and with Steinberg in tow. Michigan- and-raised, Steinberg ran a bike shop on Colorado's Western Slope, before spending eight and a half years in the hospitality industry operating the largest hotel in Silver City. They held their wedding reception at The Seedboat in 2015 and now are raising a six-year-old.
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At 214 W. Yankie Street in downtown Silver City, New Mexico, The Seedboat Collective is a coworking community, event hub, and enrichment avenue, where people come together to share time, gifts, and purpose. Building cohesion and adding meaning to work, The Seedboat Collective provides space and opportunities to foster a collective spirit in Grant County. In a former warehouse build by local businesswoman Elizabeth Warren in 1911, what is now The Seedboat Collective bridged the hay and grain store and a Chinese grocer. It was lovingly and accurately restored 30 years ago. Then, Nan and Alan Spragens concepted The Seedboat as a center for the arts about two decades ago. Now, the beloved property continues as a spot where people engage — with one another, with new ideas, with challenges, with programming that expands our mutual horizons and brightens the future of southwest New Mexico.
