Although the Housing Works Bookstore Café, a 4,000-square-foot space operated by the nonprofit has been available as an event space for a while now, its staff is eager to promote the SoHo location to event planners. The organization—which provides services for homeless people with AIDS and HIV—now offers a 10 percent discount for first-time renters and a free dessert for events catered by in-house caterer the Works.
Recently, the SoHo venue has been used by Good magazine, The New Yorker, and Merrill Lynch. Available during and after the store's business hours, the space features 20-foot ceilings, spiral staircases, and mahogany bookshelves, and rental rates cover volunteer staff for setup and breakdown, use of an on-site stereo system, and stage equipment. An added plus: Fees support Housing Works and its fund-raising efforts.
