Live-work units help neighbors become customers

The sense of community that Phil and Lisa Dale feel at Studioplex is what most people want in their neighborhood.

But since the Dales also work out of their home, supportive neighbors can also mean paying customers.

The Dales’ salon and art gallery Studio Philisa takes up the majority of their 800-square-foot loft, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s kinda like ‘Cheers,’ ” said Lisa Dale. “Everybody just drops by to hang out and relax.”

Working from home isn’t a new concept, but developers have been playing to it over the past several years. Floor plans for live/work units are as diverse as the businesses found in them. Some allow for complete separation of office and residential space, while others blend the two.

Putting the best face on both the down economy and the real estate slump, developers say the number of people looking for new careers makes live/work spaces attractive options for those who may not have considered them before.

“Somebody who once had an office, and has clients they still need to see are starting to see how having a dedicated office space — not just a room in their home — can work for them,” said John Little, president of The Plinth Group, which developed Kirkwood Station and One Riverside.

via Live-work units help neighbors become customers  | ajc.com. By Michelle E. Shaw The Atlanta Journal-Constitution