VERGENNES — The KB Coworking and Conference Center has recently opened in the historic Kennedy Brothers factory building in Vergennes. The space is designed to provide a collaborative and professional office for Addison County telecommuters and small businesspeople who want flexible lease options.
The coworking space provides private desks and nomadic table space. Up to five small private offices can also be built if there is demand. There are three conference rooms that can be reconfigured into one, two or three rooms, holding up to 50 people sitting in chairs when it is one room. Up to 30 people can be sitting at tables for a classroom configuration. Single conference rooms can hold up to 15 people.
High-speed Wi-Fi, copier and printer, and a kitchenette area complete the offering. The total area is approximately 3,000 square feet of industrial chic design.
The commitment is month-to-month. Full-month memberships, as well as 5- and 10-day-a-month passes, are available.
Just down the hall is the spacious KB Café on two levels, with 33-foot high ceilings and the old steam boiler. There are 70 seats and different art-filled nooks and crannies where people can enjoy Wi-Fi, coffee and delicious food, including gluten-free options. The café is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Weekend hours will be added in late spring.
Lillian Kennedy and her husband, Robert Feuerstein, bought the Kennedy Brothers business from the other family members three years ago. They just completed renovations including new roof, new windows, new HVAC, new entrance, new paved parking lot, redone bathrooms and new offices for tenants.
The Kennedy Brothers factory building at is 11 Main St. (Route 22A) in Vergennes, a half-mile north of downtown and a half-mile south of the intersection of Routes 7 and 22A.