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8,000 people are on a waitlist to join this women-only co-working space and club - here's what it's like insidehttps://www.businessinsider.in/8000-people-are-on-a-waitlist-to-join-this-women-only-co-working-space-and-club-heres-what-its-like-inside/its-been-a-challenging-year-for-women-but-seeing-all-the-energy-in-the-space-between-women-gives-us-a-lot-of-hope-gelman-said-/slidelist/61509452.cms2017-11-04T19:17:16+05:30

8,000 people are on a waitlist to join this women-only co-working space and club - here's what it's like inside

Nov 4, 2017, 19:17 IST

"It's been a challenging year for women, but seeing all the energy in the space between women gives us a lot of hope," Gelman said.

"There's been demand that we didn't anticipate, which is humbling," Gelman said.

According to Gelman, new membership tiers and scholarship opportunities are in the works and will be announced in the first quarter of 2018.

Prices for The Wing start at an annual $2,350 for access to a single location, or $215 a month. To access all locations, the price is $2,700 annually or $250 monthly.

"[Our members are] women who are teachers, physicians, women in tech, fashion and marketing. Also, we have a microbiologist, a woman who is an aerospace engineer, and someone getting her PhD in scent technology," Gelman said.

As far as the membership base, Gelman and Kassan aim to keep it diverse. "We look at membership in terms of diversity: career, racial, and ethnic diversity, age diversity, and usage diversity to make sure not everyone is coming at the exact same time," Kassan said.

Past the noisy café area is the quiet library space filled with books. Curated by The Strand — another women-owned business — the collection is made up entirely of books by female authors.

These eight private telephone booths were added to the second location following member demand.

Large skylights and high ceilings create a bright and airy atmosphere.

A café and bar provide various breakfast items, sandwiches, and coffee.

The pump room for nursing mothers also provides a quiet, private space.

There's also a nap room for those who need a moment of quiet.

The 10,000-square-foot space has two meeting rooms that can be rented out by members.

"[The Wing] was sort of adjacent to politics in the sense that it had a mission, and I don't think we realized how crucial that mission was going to become. I love getting to do this right now because it's advancing the values and issues that I care about, but doing it outside of politics," Gelman said.

Gelman, who was a junior aide during Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential run and, later, a spokesperson for New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, sees The Wing as a natural progression from her political career.

Kassan, who is the COO, saw an opportunity to create a community. "For me it's really about the community that can come out of this space. The original idea of having a space of convenience — but also creating a space that you can meet new women in," she said.

The Wing's spacious bathrooms, showers, lockers, and beauty room — pictured here — provide women with a safe space to prep and primp for their day.

Gelman realized she needed a space like The Wing while working a job that had her on the go on a daily basis. Instead of changing outfits for events and meetings in "random bathrooms around the city," Gelman envisioned a space designed with her needs in mind.

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