The Weekly Third Space Index September 16th, 2025 (Edition 2)
A brilliant extension of GREENROOM — tracking the state of third spaces in real-time.
The Texture of Hospitality is Shifting
This week’s index finds the cultural third space in flux—where artists, investors, and hoteliers are colliding in unexpected ways.
Dimes Square has folded into a meme of itself. At the 9 Orchard Hotel, the once-rarified lobby has become a de facto clubhouse for artist teams, managers, and collectives rotating through the Lower East Side. What started as a subcultural enclave now feels like a performance of itself—still magnetic, but self-aware in its mythology.
NeueHouse, once the aspirational coworking darling of the creative class, is shutting down across all locations. It’s a cautionary tale: even with design-forward interiors and a membership-driven model, the appetite for boutique workspaces may not survive a saturated market and shifting post-pandemic behaviors.
Meanwhile, Soho House is being remade under private ownership. Ashton Kutcher has joined the board following a $2.7B MCR Hotels-backed deal to take the club private again. The move injects not only fresh capital but also Kutcher’s operational and tech savvy. As a longtime investor in Soho House Austin, his role signals a next era of growth—focusing on international expansion, digital integration, and the elusive balance between exclusivity and accessibility.
The luxury tier continues to diversify: Nobu Residences and Nobu Hotels are deepening their footprint, merging hospitality with branded lifestyle living. More than just restaurants, they’ve become status-infused ecosystems where cuisine, design, and high-touch lodging are inseparable.
On a more artisanal note, Acane Estate Coffee is becoming a quiet haven for insiders. What began as a record label has morphed into a bistro-style hideout, offering single-origin pours and a sense of low-key sanctuary for those tired of the clubby churn. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most enduring third spaces are built on intimacy, not scale.
The throughline? Hospitality is being redefined not just by who’s at the table, but by who owns the table. From billion-dollar privatizations to neighborhood cafés, the third space remains the battleground where culture, capital, and community intersect.
The Third Space Index is a weekly segment of GREENROOM+, tracking the cultural, political, and economic forces reshaping third spaces in real time.