We’ve got an exciting announcement to share! We at Common Desk have been selected by local firm, August Real Estate Co., as an operating partner for the repositioning of the iconic, historic Continental Gin Building in Deep Ellum to help turn it into a Class A creative office building with a retail component.
This partnership is unique for our brand in that it involves using Common Desk’s design, real estate, marketing and operations teams to not only implement coworking space within the building, but to help program an entire asset for the future of office. Common Desk’s reputation is notably expanding from being a building amenity to serving as an operating partner who can envision, design, and operate buildings that will appeal to the office tenants of tomorrow.
We’re thrilled to partner with Common Desk on the restoration of the Continental Gin Building. Considering their Deep Ellum roots and growing success throughout DFW and the broader southeast, they were the right choice to help us restore one of Deep Ellum’s most historic landmarks and this project will enable them to showcase every facet of their expertise.
Evan August, Principal at August Real Estate Co.
About the Continental Gin Building
Originally built in 1888, the Continental Gin Building was once the largest cotton gin manufacturing company in America. Today, its massive water tower can be seen towering over Deep Ellum, the neighborhood it’s called home since the very beginning. Most recently, CGB served as loft and studio space for local artists. In early 2021, the iconic building will reopen as a creative office, coworking, and retail destination in Deep Ellum. After two years securing approval and finalizing the design, August Real Estate Co. embarked on their restoration efforts, seeking to reimagine a 19th century monument of Deep Ellum for 21st century use.
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, the Common Desk design department is procuring and selecting all furniture, fixtures, and equipment for all three floors of CGB. In collaboration with August Real Estate Co., Common Desk’s marketing team is helping craft the narrative around the building, repositioning its identity through a new brand package, website, and other marketing collateral to tell the building’s unique story and generate excitement for what’s to come.
A Deep Ellum Original, Reimagined
Upon completion, the Continental Gin Building will reopen with over 17,000 SF of office/retail space on the first floor and Fiction Coffee, Common Desk’s dedicated coffee brand, located prominently within the building lobby.
Common Desk – Continental Gin will be located across nearly 22,000 SF on the entire second floor, marking our second coworking location in our original home of Deep Ellum. We couldn’t be more excited to expand our footprint in our favorite neighborhood after 8 years of growth on Commerce Street! Common Desk – Continental Gin will feature shared coworking space, small to midsize private offices and flexible team suites, lounge areas and phone booths, and amenities like a state-of-the-art VR lab (yep, you read that right), unlimited conference room usage, on-demand coffee and cocktail delivery, and free parking. If you’ve been to Deep Ellum even once, then you’ll recognize how big of a deal that last highlight is!
The third floor will contain nearly 22,000 SF of very flexible and fully-furnished spec suites which have been priced to compete favorably against other Class A spec suites in Deep Ellum and surrounding markets. Common Desk will provide hospitality services for the coworking space and the spec suites, while also providing property management services for the entire asset.
Together, we’re delivering our shared vision of a modern, energetic, creative office environment with current technology and a curated selection of amenities including a flagship location for their Fiction Coffee brand. We couldn’t be more pleased with Common Desk’s level of service, design expertise, attention to detail and proactive approach to marketing and leasing. We look forward to the delivery of our final product early next year.
Evan August, Principal at August Real Estate Co.
Common Desk has been partnering with landlords since 2016 to add asset value through the presence of our coworking spaces within the buildings we call home. Common Desk’s partnership with August Real Estate Co. on the Continental Gin Building marks a move by the company to do more for landlords than provide just coworking space. Common Desk is now being seen as a partner for the activation of an entire property, displaying our proficiency in design, marketing, leasing, and asset management to create an elevated hospitality experience that’s tangibly felt across an entire project.
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. 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. It’s truly going to be a holistic offering the market has yet to see.
Nick Clark, Founder and CEO of Common Desk
Common Desk is now pre-leasing retail, restaurant, coworking, and office space across all three floors of the Continental Gin Building. If you’re looking for a new retail outpost for your local shop, the perfect backdrop to call home for your restaurant concept, or for a Deep Ellum HQ that will let you make history while you work from it, we’d love to hear from you!
The Continental Gin Building is expected to reopen in Q1 of 2021. More information about pre-leasing and touring can be found at cgbdallas.com. Deep Ellum, get ready for a fresh take on an old classic!
