LMHQ, the collaborative workspace catering to companies in the technology, advertising, media, and information (TAMI) industries, is offering free event and meeting rooms to nonprofit organizations.
Located at 150 Broadway, near the corner of Liberty Street (where it occupies the entire 20th floor), LMHQ is operated by the Downtown Alliance, as part of that organization’s mission to luring more firms from every industry to Lower Manhattan. The 12,500-square foot facility, which opened in 2015, consists of meeting and social gathering venues, work areas, advanced audio-visual equipment, a 140-seat event space, a coffee and pastry bar, and original programming from a broad spectrum of partners, across a wide range of disciplines.
The program for public-service organizations was conceived by LMHQ’s staff in response to the growing nonprofit community Downtown, and made possible through a $20,000 Bright Ideas grant from Con Edison. Now in its second year, the program awarded space to a dozen nonprofits in 2016, whose missions address everything from migrant and gender issues to international relations and cancer recovery.
Applicants are encouraged to apply on a rolling basis for scholarships to be used toward reserving an intimate meeting room, available on two Monday evenings per month, and/or for access to LMHQ’s 140-seat event space, available once per month.
“Over the past year, LMHQ has built a strong community of local professionals and the Bright Ideas grant gives us an opportunity to engage and support our local nonprofits in a meaningful way,” said Daria Siegel, director of LMHQ. “As a young non-profit ourselves, we’re acutely aware of the importance of programs like this. Whether it’s providing needed space for workshops and training, a venue to host a fundraising event, or helping connect them with a future collaborator, we’re proud to be able to open our doors to our nonprofit neighbors.”
“In addition to the ongoing migration of tech and creative businesses that are moving to Lower Manhattan, we’ve seen significant growth among nonprofits,” said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin. “LMHQ was created to provide a connecting point for the diversifying industries Downtown and the Bright Ideas grant by Con Edison has allowed us to be more inclusive.”
The mission of the Downtown Alliance, LMHQ’s parent organization, is to enhance Lower Manhattan for businesses, residents and visitors. (Along with other functions, the Alliance also provides local security, picks up trash, and operates the business improvement district, or BID, that covers the area south of Chambers Street.)
Among the services provided by the Alliance that Lower Manhattan residents especially prize is Downtown Connection shuttle, which ferries passengers (free of charge) between 37 local stops that link residential areas neighborhoods with business and shopping districts. Running from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, seven days a week, the Downtown Connection was launched by the Alliance in 2003 and expanded in 2009.
Funded in part by the Battery Park City Authority, the Connection shuttle is currently utilized by more than 800,000 people each year.
For more information about the Bright Ideas Grant and to apply to the program, please browse lmhq.nyc/rent-lmhq.