The exodus that occurred in downtowns worldwide as the result of the pandemic and the rise of remote work has resulted in high-end office space being underutilized. Commercial real estate owners and developers are exploring ways to expand and diversify use options while adding amenities not just for office workers but for all types of usage and clientele, including consumer-facing retail, flex office spaces, studio, performance and event spaces.
The launch of New York City-based Convene was ahead of the curve when it began in 2009. The concept and company were founded on the question, “What if you ran an office building like a hotel?” It became the company’s mission to elevate the way people meet, work and live. The result is a network of custom-designed, tech-enabled meeting, event, and work locations – with full-service amenities.
The company has targeted growth in top business cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Boston, London, Manchester and Birmingham in the U.K., and now, San Francisco, with the opening of 100 Stockton , in the heart of Union Square.
“The concept of running an office building like a hotel can also be said as, ‘How do we take all the amazing hotel conference infrastructure out of hotels and resorts and put it into a class-A office buildings?’ This means really leaning into meetings and events in central business districts and reimagining landmark skyscrapers,” says Blake Ogilvie, regional vice president of operations at Convene.
Convene focused on that approach for about eight years before launching different products such as premium flexible workplace offerings.
“For most of our time as a company we’ve been primarily focused on meetings and events,” says Ogilvie. “We’ve been to multiple high-end business districts – as our locations indicate – and 100 Stockton marks our first location in San Francisco. We’re bringing a brand-new, full service corporate meeting and event venue to the heart of Union Square.”
The space itself has 53,000 square feet with seven meeting spaces that can be custom configured to accommodate various event types – from town halls to classroom-style learning, galas, corporate social events, and more. The audio-visual technology (AV) element built into the space offers everything a meeting and event planner would need, designed with seamless integration in mind.
“We are a one-stop-shop company where everything we do is in-house, so we are a true partner for our clients,” says Ogilvie. “Our spaces are thoughtfully designed for our clients’ end users. We have an entire planning team dedicated to making sure every event goes perfectly. This includes collaboration with our in-house culinary and premium beverage team, service teams that ensure the rooms are set up exactly as the client expects them to be. We stay with you from planning to the actual event so every goal is achieved and your attendees have an exceptional experience from the comfort of the space, to the high-end production elements to delicious, satisfying food and beverage.”
“Our chefs are very thoughtful about the menus we put together to ensure we are powering people to stay collaborative and active throughout the day,” says Ogilvie. “Our culinary teams will help you customize your menu in a way will be a perfect complement to what you’re trying to accomplish.”
Ogilvie also explained how Convene offers something different than hotel conference centers; hotels and resorts have a primary priority – guest rooms and public-facing venues such as dining, lounges, spas and retail. Even the best conference programs are going to have only about 20% of a hotel’s dedicated space and resources.
“We are laser focused on the meetings and events and the hospitality of it and we don’t have to worry about all the other things hotels have to worry about,” says Ogilvie. “We get to focus on the client, their attendees and making sure the meeting or event – whatever the client is trying to achieve – will be seamless from the point the planner contacts our sales team to when we’re saying goodbye to the planner, who is ecstatic because their attendees had a fantastic experience.”
Blake Ogilvie – Convene – https://calbizjournal.com/ The 100 Stockton location this has been five years in the making for Convene, which has had its sights set on San Francisco for some time. Despite some recent losses to remote work, it’s still a very large draw for Fortune 500 companies.
The Convene 100 Stockton location offers:
A total maximum capacity of just over 1,900.
Seven unique meeting spaces that can be custom configured to accommodate various event types.
Full tech-enablement, including built-in video cameras, video screens, microphones, and speakers for on-location and hybrid capabilities.
Its own dedicated lobby on the ground floor with exclusive elevators to its premium event space on floors four and five.
“Coastal landmark” design with elements drawing from San Francisco’s history and vibe, including dramatic stonework, wood finishes, reflective pieces and lighting that is a nod to what is now affectionately known as “Karl, the Fog ,” among San Franciscans.
“We are able to take a lot of tension out of the planning and execution process because we have control over all the elements,” says Ogilvie. “You don’t have to contract with any third parties, which makes it seamless at every point in the handover in process from the client’s perspective. Our food is made on premises and we have a dedicated service staff, so you don’t have to transport catering or hire kitchen and wait staff, as a caterer would.”
The theater space at Convene 100 Stockton is ideal for large town halls, with more collaborative sets called pods that are designed for groups of four to six. Events such as galas and or holiday parties can be configured with large round tables or with more of a cocktail party atmosphere. Dance floors or performance areas can also be added with customized AV support.
Whether the goal is multi-day conference, executive meetings or even an awards ceremony, Convene’s full-service hospitality can help anyone plan a meeting or event with virtually no friction from concept to cleanup.
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