Deep Ellum News
Historic Continental Gin building in Deep Ellum to reopen as offices in 2021
A historic Deep Ellum building which is being repurposed into offices has made a deal with a coworking company to lead the charge.
Common Desk, the Dallas-based coworking company, has partnered with the historic Continental Gin Building at 3309 Elm St., and will not only implement the building's coworking space, but also help program the building to appeal to the office tenant of tomorrow.
Evan August of August Real Estate Co., which is overseeing the building's repurposing, says in a statement that Common Desk was ideal because of its roots in Deep Ellum and its growing success.
Their shared vision consists of a "modern, energetic, creative office environment with current technology" and amenities that will include a flagship location for their Fiction Coffee brand, August says.
They're planning on having it complete early next year.
August Real Estate Co. was founded by Dallas natives Evan and Jordan August, who approach urban development with an emphasis on community investment and building long-term assets that will endure for future generations.
A 2018 post on Glasstire recounts the history of the Continental Gin Building, built in 1888 and initially a player in the global cotton market. In 1962 it became home to an elevator manufacturing company, then in 1982 was turned into artist space with really cheap rent (around $1 per square foot).
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Continental Gin District is listed as historic on the city of Dallas site as a series of complexes of one-, two- and three-story brick factory structures built as a cotton gin manufacturing plant (and which now include Continental Gin Lofts, an apartment building).
August Real Estate Co. acquired the Gin Building in 2018 and spent two years securing approval and finalizing the design before beginning restoration in 2019.
The release says that Common Desk's partnership with August Real Estate Co. touches almost every aspect of the building's future, including design, furnishing, marketing, leasing support, property management, purveyor of coffee, and more.
In addition to schematic design prior to construction, Common Desk is procuring and selecting all furniture, fixtures, and equipment for all three floors of CGB.
Common Desk - Continental Gin will be located across nearly 22,000 square feet, taking up the entire second floor, marking Common Desk’s second location in Deep Ellum.
It will feature shared coworking space, small- to mid-size private offices and flexible team suites, lounge areas and phone booths, and amenities like a state-of-the-art VR lab, unlimited conference room usage, on-demand coffee, cocktail delivery, and free parking.
The third floor will contain nearly 22,000 square feet of flexible and fully-furnished spec suites priced to compete favorably against other opitons in Deep Ellum and surrounding markets. Common Desk will provide hospitality services for the coworking space and spec suites, while also providing property management services for the entire asset.
Common Desk has been partnering with landlords since 2016 to add value via coworking spaces. This partnership is next step, says Common Desk founder-CEO Nick Clark in a statement.
"We're incredibly excited to play a bigger role in the Deep Ellum neighborhood as an industry innovator and advocate for the office offering of the future," Clark says. "Unlike the new ground up office projects in Deep Ellum, The Continental Gin Building has a rich history in the neighborhood. We’re excited to respect that history with the new artistic / boutique design, hospitality offering, and unique aspects that've always set the building apart."
