Construction started today at Foursquare's future 56,000-square-foot Soho office, rounding out a year of new horizons and new funding—to the tune of $50 million—for the location-based startup.
Foursquare, which will be moving out of its current office at 36 Cooper for the top two floors at 586 568 Broadway, has tabbed one-year-old architectural firm Echo Design + Architecture to lead the design for its 10th-floor office space.
568 Broadway
Their new office will be both minimalist and high-tech, incorporating the theme of Foursquare's iconic "badge" to "reflect the corporate identity," said Ajay Chopra, the 37-year-old owner of Echo Design + Architecture.
"The badges represent Foursquare's identity in many ways, and we sort of captured that through the space," said Mr. Chopra, who declined to explain how, exactly, that theme will be mapped out.
The company's tenth-floor office will be 20,000-to-28,000 square feet, and will feature the open and collaborative space–open desks, conference rooms–that has become de rigueur for any tech headquarters in Silicon Alley.
The space will also have an eye for future hires.
"There is plenty of room for expansion, and we definitely planned the build-out with future growth in mind since we're continuing to hire aggressively," said Erin Gleason, a foursquare spokeswoman.
The design of the office will be relatively simple, using glass, steel, and a "vibrantly painted gypsum board" in the build-out, according to a press release from Aragon Construction, the management firm handling the renovations.
Foursquare's Old Office
There will be main reception area stocked with iPads "for a tech savvy entranceway that can be programmed for different themes," according to the press release.
But it will be mostly light on quirks. There are currently no plans to copy Google's in-office Segways or Shelby.tv's 300-square-feet turf, all the better for playing ping pong barefoot. What quirks will make it into the final design will be revealed when foursquare's office opens in January.
"It hasn't been too quirky, and if there is, we will have to reveal that at some point, I cannot reveal that now," said Mr. Chopra.
The eleventh floor will be subleased initially and is currently not undergoing renovation, said Ms. Gleason.
The London-born Mr. Chopra said he received an email from a Foursquare representative in October inviting him on a tour through the company's 56,000-square-foot Soho space.
Within a week, he was hired for the job.
"They do not waste time," he said.
Since launching 2009, Foursquare has grown at a steady rate, opening an office in San Francisco and increasing its headcount to close to 100 people. Earlier this year, the company raised $50 million in funding through VCs like Union Square Ventures and Spark Capital.
568 Broadway is already the home of restaurateur Keith McNally's business operations and a Bliss spa.
drosen@observer.com