WeWork opens new offices at old Central Bank building

The main tenant in the recently refurbished old Central Bank headquarters in Dublin is officially opening its new flagship office today.

WeWork, which provides flexible co-working arrangements to individuals and businesses, will occupy the iconic building on Dame Street, which has been restored and modernised.

Spanning eight floors, One Central Plaza will house 1,500 desks and a range of workspace options across 73,000 square feet.

It includes office suites and conference rooms for collaborative work, as well as bookable office space and phone booths.

There is also an option to rent desks or meeting rooms by the hour or day.

The facility also features a rooftop restaurant, with panoramic views of the city, while other on-site amenities include a barista bar, showers and a beer island and it is dog friendly.

The original building, which was designed by architect Sam Stephenson, was built in the 1970s and was opened in 1978.

The following year, it became the headquarters of the Central Bank, which occupied the premises from 1979 to 2017, when it closed.

It was announced in 2018 that WeWork would lease the building, with the work on the offices initially scheduled for completion by the end of 2019.

The site has undergone an extensive redevelopment by the Hines and Peterson Group into a mixed-use complex with offices, retail units, restaurants and a two-story rooftop venue with 360-degree views of Dublin.

As of today, WeWork said One Central Plaza is at 50% occupancy.

The company, which was founded in 2010 is due to emerge from bankruptcy in the United States this month after a restructuring, also has operations at three other locations in Dublin, which it has described as one of its “strongest markets.”

WeWork Chief Revenue Officer, Ben Samuels, said the opening of its Central Plaza offices “marks a significant moment for WeWork as we enter a new phase for the company, putting our best foot forward with our strongest locations globally.”

As more companies look to incorporate flexible workspace into their portfolio, WeWork continues to cement its position as a go-to partner to power workplace strategies that marry business and employee needs,” he added.

The Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, said he is “delighted to see the opening of WeWork’s offices at Central Plaza.”

He described the location as “a truly iconic building in the heart of the city.”

“WeWork provides flexible workspace solutions to meet modern business needs across the spectrum, from individual entrepreneurs to SMEs and large multinationals,” he added.