WeWork's apartments of the future are officially open, starting at $1,395 a month for a Murphy bed
In WeWork's biggest gamble yet, its co-living micro apartment space, WeLive, officially opened its doors to New York residents on Monday.
Individual Murphy beds that pull down into the living room behind a curtain or tiny alcoves in a wall start at $1,375 a month for a bed. If you want more privacy, rooms start at $2,000 and can be The high price tag (and a $125 amenities fee) helps support "all the coffee, tea, and beer you can drink," according to the WeLive website.
Each apartment or bed comes fully loaded with towels and linens. There's also a full-time "community concierge" and a housekeeping team. The laundry room has a ping pong table and billiards, and a wellness room hosts yoga and barre classes. The fridge comes fully stocked with Smart Water, Pellegrino, and beer.
No one ever said city living was cheap, but WeWork is betting that its WeLive spaces will be the start of a new movement. They're perfect landing pads for people moving to a city looking for instant friends and not having any furniture. Whether those people stay (and become WeWork members) will be the crucial litmus test.
If turnover is too high, it could start feeling more like a hotel and less like a communal neighborhood of friends all with really tiny bedrooms. The month-to-month leases are great flexibility for its residents, but could be hard on WeWork's bottom line if it can't fill the Murphy beds fast enough.
Currently the company has two locations, one in New York and one in Crystal City, Virginia, near Washington D.C. The Crystal City location is slightly cheaper, with beds starting at $1,000 and private rooms beginning at $1,300, but it won't officially launch until May 1.