SHREVEPORT, La. — The CoHabitat Foundation will open its second Shreveport location Thursday, expanding the nonprofit coworking space and business incubator into the Highland neighborhood.
Cohab at the Highland Center, 520 Olive St., will hold a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Sept. 17. The 2,200-square-foot site includes six private offices surrounding a shared workspace named The Malsch Pit in memory of the late Shreveport businessman, musician and Cohab board chairman Jim Malsch.
The dedication comes during the same week as Malsch’s Sept. 13 birthday.
Malsch co-founded information technology company Enterprise Computing Services in 1994 and helped grow it into one of North Louisiana’s largest privately held IT companies. He also played bass with The Killer Bees and later mentored entrepreneurs across Northwest Louisiana while serving as chairman of Cohab’s board.
Malsch also led the restoration of the 1929 Andress Ford Motor Co. building into the Andress Artist and Entrepreneur Center, which houses Cohab’s original downtown location.
“Jim’s superpower was six words,” said Jessica Schiele, executive director of the CoHabitat Foundation. “When you brought him a problem, he’d say, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out’ — and then he’d go help you make it true. This is a space where entrepreneurs can bring their successes and concerns and find a community of support, just like we always had with Jim.”
The Highland location was funded by the Grayson Foundation, Caddo Parish Commission, Louisiana Business Incubator Association and private donors. Cohab said the site will offer flexible hours and is intended to serve entrepreneurs in Highland and surrounding areas.
The expansion will not replace Cohab’s existing location at 717 Crockett St. downtown, which will remain open.
The Highland Center already houses 10 artist studios, a shared-kitchen commissary and a home goods store.
“The Highland Center already has the beginnings of a vibrant small-business ecosystem, with 10 artist studios, a shared-kitchen commissary, and an active home goods store,” said Madison Poche, executive director of the Highland Center. “Bringing Cohab into that mix creates more opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect and grow, and we’re excited to be part of Cohab’s next big step forward.”
Five of the six private offices at the new location are being offered to entrepreneurs and small-business owners beginning this week. Tours can be scheduled after Sept. 17.
Cohab has served entrepreneurs in Northwest Louisiana since 2010. Its programs include LeanTrax, which provides workspace and business development services; CEOTrax, which serves second-stage companies; and YouthTrax, a K-12 entrepreneurship program that includes Lemonade Day Shreveport-Bossier.