MakeOffices
MakeOffices was an American coworking and office-services company that operated flexible workspaces in the Washington, D.C. area, Philadelphia, and Chicago before closing in 2021.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
MakeOffices was an American coworking and commercial office-services brand that provided flexible workspace to startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and other professional users. The company was founded in 2012 under the name UberOffices by Ray Rahbar, Jason Shrensky, Chris Junior, and other partners. Its operating concept had been developed earlier, in 2007, around the idea of shared offices that could reduce the fixed costs and administrative burden associated with starting or expanding a business. The company’s offering centered on leased office space made available on flexible, generally month-to-month terms. Its services included shared coworking areas, executive offices, private office suites, and virtual offices. This model was aimed at customers who needed professional premises, meeting and business-support infrastructure, or a recognized business address without committing to a conventional long-term commercial lease. Early financing came from angel investors, individual entrepreneurs, and the CYwP Fund. UberOffices began operations in Northern Virginia. Its first reported site was an approximately 8,500-square-foot shared-office facility at 1401 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia. The location contained 25 offices and was later used by 47 technology startups. In June 2013, the company opened a larger site in the Tysons area of McLean, Virginia. That facility covered about 16,000 square feet and contained 47 offices. A third Washington-area location followed in Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.; the approximately 40,000-square-foot facility included 103 offices and represented a substantial expansion of the company’s capacity. The company also sought visibility within the regional startup and public-policy community. In August 2013, U.S. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia visited the Rosslyn facility to speak with tenants and members of the media about startup growth in the region. The visit connected the company’s workspace model with broader discussions about entrepreneurship, technology businesses, and economic development in Northern Virginia. In November 2015, UberOffices adopted the MakeOffices name. The rebranding preceded a period of geographic expansion. MakeOffices opened locations in Philadelphia in January 2016 and also operated in Chicago, giving it a presence in three metropolitan markets: Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; and Chicago. Its business remained focused on flexible office accommodation and related services rather than on a broad consumer product portfolio. MakeOffices ultimately became one of the flexible-office operators affected by the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, the company announced that it would shut down, citing the pandemic. The closure ended the brand’s operations in its three reported markets. As a result, MakeOffices is best understood as a defunct regional coworking and flexible-office-services company whose history reflects the development of startup-oriented shared offices before the pandemic and the severe pressure placed on office-based businesses during the pandemic period.
History
MakeOffices originated in a shared-office concept developed in 2007 to help startups limit the cost and commitment associated with conventional office leasing. The operating company was established in 2012 as UberOffices by Ray Rahbar, Jason Shrensky, Chris Junior, and other partners. It obtained early support from angel investors, individual entrepreneurs, and the CYwP Fund. The company’s first reported facility was an 8,500-square-foot shared-office location at 1401 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia. It contained 25 offices and subsequently accommodated 47 technology startups. This initial site established the company’s focus on professionally managed office space for young companies and small businesses. In June 2013, UberOffices opened a second Northern Virginia facility in the Tysons area of McLean. The site measured approximately 16,000 square feet and provided 47 offices. A third location opened in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The approximately 40,000-square-foot facility contained 103 offices and significantly increased the company’s capacity in the region. The business also gained public attention in August 2013, when Virginia Senator Mark Warner visited the Rosslyn office to speak with occupants and media representatives about the area’s startup economy. UberOffices changed its name to MakeOffices in November 2015. Under the new brand, the company expanded into Philadelphia in January 2016 and also operated locations in Chicago. Its reported footprint therefore covered three metropolitan markets: the Washington, D.C. area, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Across these markets, the company offered shared workspaces, executive and private offices, suites, and virtual-office services, generally with flexible month-to-month arrangements. The company’s history ended during the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, MakeOffices announced that it would shut down because of the pandemic’s effects. The closure made MakeOffices a defunct regional participant in the coworking and flexible-office sector. Its trajectory illustrates the growth of startup-oriented shared offices during the 2010s, followed by the vulnerability of office-centered business models during the pandemic.
- 2021
Operations shut down
[1]MakeOffices announced that it was closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2016
Philadelphia expansion
[1]MakeOffices opened offices in Philadelphia and operated additionally in Chicago.
- 2015
Brand renamed MakeOffices
[1]UberOffices changed its corporate and operating name to MakeOffices in November.
- 2013
Tysons location opens
[1]UberOffices opened a 16,000-square-foot facility with 47 offices in the Tysons area of McLean, Virginia.
- 2013
Dupont Circle expansion
[1]The company opened an approximately 40,000-square-foot Dupont Circle facility containing 103 offices.
- 2012
UberOffices founded
[1]Ray Rahbar, Jason Shrensky, Chris Junior, and other partners founded the company under the UberOffices name.
- 2012
First Arlington facility opens
[1]The company opened an approximately 8,500-square-foot shared-office location at 1401 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia.
- 2007
Shared-office concept developed
[1]The concept behind the company was developed as a way to help startups reduce office and operating costs through shared workspace.
Products and positioning
A regional flexible-workspace provider positioned around accessible, startup-friendly office accommodation, shared infrastructure, and shorter-term commitments than traditional commercial leases.
Flexible workspace · 2012
Coworking and shared offices
Shared work environments designed for startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. The model allowed multiple companies to use professionally managed office infrastructure while avoiding the cost and duration of a conventional standalone lease.
Office leasing · 2012
Executive offices and private suites
Private offices, executive offices, and suites offered customers dedicated work areas within the company’s managed facilities. These spaces were part of the company’s flexible office portfolio and were generally available on month-to-month terms.
Business services · 2012
Virtual offices
Virtual-office arrangements provided a business-oriented service for customers who did not require a continuously occupied private office. The company listed virtual offices among its flexible office-service offerings.
Brand decisions
2021
Decision to shut downStrategyBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic placed substantial pressure on office-based businesses and flexible-workspace operators.
Action taken
MakeOffices announced in January 2021 that it would close its operations, citing the pandemic.
Aftermath
The company ceased operating in the Washington, D.C. area, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
2016
Expansion into Philadelphia and ChicagoStrategyBackground
Following the 2015 name change, MakeOffices sought to extend its flexible-office business beyond the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Action taken
The company opened offices in Philadelphia in January 2016 and operated additional locations in Chicago.
Aftermath
The company operated across three reported metropolitan markets before its closure in 2021.
2015
Rebrand from UberOffices to MakeOfficesStrategyBackground
The company had operated since 2012 under the UberOffices name while developing a regional flexible-office network.
Action taken
In November 2015, it changed its name to MakeOffices.
Aftermath
The rebrand preceded further expansion, including the opening of Philadelphia offices in 2016 and continued operations in Chicago.
Recent events
- 2021
MakeOffices announces shutdown during COVID-19 pandemic[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
MakeOffices announced in January 2021 that it would cease operations, attributing the decision to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2016
MakeOffices expands to Philadelphia[1]
Other
MakeOffices opened offices in Philadelphia in January 2016 as part of its expansion beyond the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
- 2015
UberOffices adopts the MakeOffices name[1]
Other
The flexible-office company changed its name from UberOffices to MakeOffices in November 2015.
- 2013
Mark Warner visits UberOffices in Arlington[1]
Other
U.S. Senator Mark Warner visited the company’s Rosslyn facility to meet tenants and speak with media about startup growth in the region.
Sources1 sources
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