A Waterford City co-working hub is celebrating a decade in business, marking ten years of changing how people work in the city centre.

Boxworks, located on Patrick Street, is celebrating 10 years in operation, having first opened its doors in early 2016.

Founded by Jim “Flash” Gordon, Boxworks was born from a concern about vacant commercial units in Waterford City and an idea inspired by the growth of shared workspaces in major cities such as New York and London.

The concept was straightforward – create a shared working environment where small businesses, entrepreneurs and start-ups could access professional facilities without taking on the significant costs associated with running their own premises.

From offices and meeting rooms to high-speed broadband and everyday amenities, the model allowed businesses to pool resources while avoiding the full burden of rent, electricity, insurance and cleaning costs.

When Boxworks first opened, it occupied a single floor with 10 offices, several meeting rooms and 30 desks.

A decade later, it has developed into a flexible, incubation-style working environment, supporting businesses at different stages of their development.

One of the key features of the model is that businesses can use Boxworks as a stepping stone. As companies grow and require larger premises, they move on, creating space for new businesses, entrepreneurs and remote workers to come through the doors.

The space itself has also evolved.

The upper floor now includes a 20-seat office alongside a number of smaller offices, while the main floor has undergone refurbishment with pod-style offices.

That change reflects the way working habits have developed since the COVID-19 pandemic, with greater demand for privacy and dedicated spaces rather than traditional open-plan desks.

Its city-centre location has also remained one of Boxworks’ biggest attractions.

With cafés, restaurants and shops all within walking distance, the hub provides workers with access to the wider city throughout the working day.

Corporate teams using the facility have highlighted that convenience as a major benefit, particularly as hybrid working has become a permanent feature of modern working life.

Gordon says Boxworks has continued to adapt to changing demand, with the facility able to evolve depending on what businesses and workers require – whether that means additional meeting space, podcast rooms or different office configurations.

What started in 2016 as an attempt to breathe life into an empty city-centre unit has consequently become an established part of Waterford’s business community.

Ten years on, Boxworks continues to provide a flexible alternative to traditional office space, helping businesses and individuals work from the heart of Waterford City.

More information is available through boxworks.ie, where prospective clients can arrange a visit and view the facilities.

For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.