Rosslyn to Open Outdoor Coworking Space in Gateway Park

An outdoor co-working space is set to open in mid-October at a Rosslyn park.

Outdoor Office, or O2, is coming to Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway) courtesy of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District. The idea is to safely provide “a retreat for professionals looking for an inspiring change of scenery” during the pandemic.

“O2 is free to all, and will be accessible with an online reservation system,” a spokeswoman explained. “There will be two distinct working stations with multiple physically-distanced seating options and free wifi.”

Given the time of year, would-be outdoor office-goers should pack a sweater along with their laptop.

More on the concept from a press release:

Today, the Rosslyn BID announced a new, outdoor workspace coming to Gateway Park in mid-October called O2, which stands for Outdoor Office. Prioritizing safety and productivity, O2 leverages existing infrastructure and natural elements at Rosslyn’s Gateway Park to create a dynamic business-meets-fresh-air environment. With a vision that centers around wellness — mental, physical, and social — O2 is a retreat for professionals looking for an inspiring change of scenery.

Centrally-located in Rosslyn’s urban core, O2 will provide distinctly separate and easy-to-use spaces to foster a comfortable and connected work atmosphere for employees looking to come back to the neighborhood or residents needing a change from their home office. This free and safe environment is designed to make working outside a breeze, including an easy-to-use reservation system, and trained Rosslyn BID Ambassadors onsite to sanitize workspaces and maintain streamlined operations.

O2’s combination of natural elements and central setting within the neighborhood’s iconic park is sure to inspire productivity and true blue-sky thinking. More details, including cleaning precautions and reservation information, will be available closer to mid-October when O2 will be open to the public for reservations. Renderings of the forthcoming installation can be found here.

“We know that safe outdoor public spaces are key to maintaining mental and physical health and helping people feel connected to where they spend their time,” said Mary-Claire Burick, President of the Rosslyn BID. “O2 is an extension of the wonderful office community we have in Rosslyn and we’re excited to bring it to Arlington.”

This year, the Rosslyn BID has creatively evolved its placemaking efforts to adapt to safe social distancing guidelines by adding new sanitizing wipe stations around the neighborhood, placing all furniture 6-8 feet apart, and transforming underutilized spaces by adding seating and continuing to safely distance people as they enjoy the outdoors. These same procedures will be used throughout O2. The Rosslyn BID Ambassadors, who keep Rosslyn’s streets clean, provide hospitality and neighborhood information, have increased their cleaning protocols for high-touch zones in public areas and surfaces throughout Rosslyn.