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February 27, 2025

Manchester officials consider $1.5M sale of building hosting town-run gallery, coworking spaces

COSTAR 901-903 Main St., Manchester.
By Michael Puffer

Manchester officials are contemplating the sale of a 15,730-square-foot Main Street building hosting a town-run art gallery and coworking program to a local entrepreneur for $1.51 million.

Benjamin Williams, CEO of ARSOME Technology, said he would turn the coworking space into a business accelerator with organized programs guiding entrepreneurs through finance, sales, hiring and other business skills.

“I’m a big believer in community engagement,” Williams said. “If my firm is going to work and live in Manchester, then the firm needs to give back to the community, and one weakness we see in the community is a lack of entrepreneurial-based resources.”

HBJ Photo | Sean Teehan
Benjamin Williams is CEO of Manchester-based augmented reality company Arsome Technology Group.

Formed in 2017, ARSOME employs 20 full- and part-time employees making virtual reality-based training programs for defense applications, said Williams, a co-founder of the company.

Manchester’s Board of Directors, during a meeting Tuesday, will consider a proposal to sell the property, at 901 Main St., to Williams, according to Gary Anderson, Manchester’s director of planning and economic development. The three-story, 1883-vintage building occupies nearly two-tenths of an acre along a densely developed commercial artery.

The building was owned by New Alliance Bank and gifted to the town after First Niagara Bank acquired New Alliance. The town partnered with Manchester Community College to open an art gallery on the first floor in 2012. Soon after, the town developed coworking space on the second floor. 

When Manchester Community College exited the building in 2017, the town took over management of the first floor and rebranded the entire property as “WORK_SPACE.”

Anderson said the coworking space has 40 to 50 members who pay varying rates to maintain a mailbox, office and/or temporary desk space. Anderson said the town has seen businesses incubate in and outgrow WORK_SPACE. A sale to Williams would “bring it to the next level,” he said.

“The town has done a lot of great things in that space, but one thing we don’t have the capacity to do is small business assistance, to help small businesses grow in the way entrepreneurs are looking for in this day and age,” Anderson said.

ARSOME leases space in an office building two blocks north of WORK_SPACE. Williams isn’t ruling out eventually occupying a portion of the WORK_SPACE building, but it’s not a priority. Williams said he would only make that move if it complements the business accelerator he plans to develop. 

And existing WORK_SPACE members are welcome to stay, Williams said.

“The first thing we want to do is meet with the members and ask them what is working and what is not,” Williams said. “Our goal is to make sure the space reflects the needs of the town.”

Under its current assessment, the building’s sale to private ownership would generate about $55,000 in annual tax revenue for the town, according to a memo from Anderson to Town Manager Steve Stephanou. It would also eliminate the town’s maintenance costs on the antique building, he noted.

Under a tentative sales agreement for 901 Main St., the town would maintain the right to use the building for public meetings for 15 years. It would also be able to buy it back if it ceases to be used as an “entrepreneurial hub.” 

Williams would not have to pay property taxes on the building for two years, and would receive $60,000 in annual rent payments for two years from the town for lease of the gallery space. 
 

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