OpenSpace

A public service announcement: do any of these jackets or coats look familiar? We’re starting to get quite a collection here at the Hello bar! December starts on Thursday- don’t get left out in the cold! If you recognize one of these coats, just ask any one of the concierge staff and we’d be happy to return them to their owners.

As a reminder, OpenSpace will be closed tomorrow and Friday for Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the turkey and family time, and your OpenSpace family will look forward to seeing you when you get back!

PS: Unlimited members with 24×7 access are allowed  to work whenever they’d like, of course!

This holiday season, OpenSpace will sponsor a food drive to support the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Between November 28th and December 12th, bring in canned or non-perishable food items to help those in need in our community.

Start collecting now- bring in three cans or more and receive a Free Day Pass- useful for client meetings or to re-gift to a friend! Be sure to listen for our spot on 106.1 The Corner and help us help contribute to needy families this holiday season. Everyone, members and friends alike, are welcomed and encouraged to participate!

The OpenSpace Free Day Pass: it’s the hottest gift of the season.

Looking to make a bold statement with your company’s Christmas party this year? Consider booking the Forum at OpenSpace for all your holiday festivities!

Visit the Forum’s special events page for more photos of this beautifully modern space. Listen for our spot on 106.1 The Corner and call us at 434-566-0880 or email events@getopenspace.com for more details on pricing and availability.

To better accommodate our PC user members in an increasingly Mac-biased world, we’ve added a second PC-compatible monitor! Now PC users won’t have to share that one solitary white monitor. Be sure to check out the new addition- it’s so sleek and shiny (in keeping with the OpenSpace aesthetic, of course)!

What stories are on your newsfeed this morning? How does Facebook decide which of your friends’ posts are newsworthy? How does Google decide what search results you see? What about all the ones you don’t see?

Hear more in this TED talk from Eli Pariser: Beware Online Filter Bubbles

“The Internet is showing us what it thinks we want to see, but not necessarily what we need to see.”

OpenSpace will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 24th and 25th for Thanksgiving.

Does the sight of the parking police make you nervous? Are those tickets starting to add up? Are you wishing you had a safe, reliable parking spot while you’re hard at work? Spaces in the OpenSpace parking garage are only $100 a month! That’s a great deal for Downtown Charlottesville- never parallel park again!

You can request a parking space in our covered garage using your OpenSpace Account under the Amenities feature- just log into your account and click the Amenities tab at the top right to add your parking spot. Then you’ll never have to search all around Downtown for a parking space again- whether it’s an all-day meeting at OpenSpace, a Saturday morning trip to the Farmer’s Market, or a big show at the Pavillion, you’ll always have a safe, guaranteed place to leave your car.

John Semmelhack

Owner, Think Little

THE WHO

Inspired by a Wendell Berry quote, John Semmelhack started his business Think Little with the conviction that even just one individual can have a significant impact in making the world a better place. Through Think Little, John has set out to make Charlottesville more energy efficient, one house at a time. Specializing in residential energy efficiency consulting, John advises home-owners, architects, and builders on how to construct homes that both save money and reduce the impact on the environment. All the little details, John says, add up to a big effect when it comes to making a house more energy efficient. From the initial stages of site design, to stocking the finished house with efficient appliances, to planting strategic landscaping, a lower utility bill and a positive effect on the environment are in reach for home-owners.

John also serves as a technical advisor with EarthCraft Virginia, a green housing certification program that promotes sustainable and affordable energy efficient construction. In addition, John is also a Certified Passive House Consultant. Passive House is a very strict green design concept, the highest standard for energy efficient buildings in fact, and John is currently consulting on four of Virginia’s first Passive House projects!

THE WHY OPENSPACE

Previously, John worked from home, but with the arrival of his second daughter, the home office lost out to the nursery. OpenSpace to the rescue! And, as you’ve probably noticed, John prefers to commute to work by bike!

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

John can often be spotted riding his bike around town, but what you might not know is that he used to be a professional cyclist! His team even used to race against another OpenSpace regular, Ian Ayers! We’re thinking rematch?

Photo credit: Jen Fariello