The stately address where Ossining’s first Black physician left a legacy of community service is now attracting a new community to its offices.
Ossining Riverworks, a coworking space on State Street in the village, is building on the post-Covid trend catering to workers who want a comfortable workspace that’s not in Manhattan but not at home.
Owner/operators Greg and Rebecca Young, thirty-something New York City transplants who moved to the Rivertowns during the pandemic, bought the building in 2022 and opened their business in May 2023.
“History at work” is part of their pitch, a nod to their intention to preserve and recognize the 1830 Greek Revival mansion’s storied past while embracing the realities of the 21st century workplace.
The three-floor, 5,874-square-foot building with its commanding views of the Hudson River served as the home and offices of Dr. George W. Hill from the 1940s to 1970s.
Hill’s mission extended beyond providing quality, affordable medical care to the Black community; he spearheaded myriad projects focused on social and economic advancement. A plaque outside the building and a street naming honor his contributions.
The Youngs are keenly aware of Hill’s achievements, naming a meeting room for him and inviting his daughter to visit. They’ve preserved much of the building’s wood flooring, fireplace, and other features, and have applied to have it included on the National Registry of Historic Places.
The concept of bringing people together, they say, extends beyond hosting remote workers, into welcoming community groups like the local NAACP, which meets there monthly.
“This space is begging to be used by the community again,” Rebecca Young said during a recent visit. “It’s right off of Main Street, it’s got the most gorgeous views. We wanted to share that with the community, so a big piece of our vision included kind of reviving this.”
Greg Young, a real estate attorney, said they realized Ossining was the right place after a nearby coworking space had a waiting list before it closed.
“What we did is recognize that there’s a young, family community here that is growing and those are the classic people who are not going back into Manhattan large-scale offices,” he said. ” What we’re seeing here is people who are working for large companies, and their companies are paying or giving them a stipend for another place closer to home.”
Added Rebecca: “We noticed the need for ourselves. We have two young children who are chaotic and (Greg) was trying to run a law firm in the house and sometimes he needed to not be in our house. We started to talk to other people about it and saw … a need for a space with a work-from-home feel but outside of your own home.”
Ossining Riverworks has a variety of setups, available monthly or by the day, including conference rooms, private offices, huddle spaces, and privacy pods. There are lounges, coffee, snacks, printing, and of course, high-speed internet.
Walls and ceilings are painted white, matching the building’s exterior.
“We wanted to have a coffee shop, local business vibe,” said Rebecca Young, a former barista.
During a late-June visit, Riverwork’s private rooms were 50 percent occupied and its drop-in space was 25-30 percent full, Greg Young said. Their clients are a mix of professionals like attorneys and recruiters, plus writers, freelance graphic designers and nonprofits.
The Youngs have added modern upgrades like heat pumps and rooftop solar panels and often use locally sourced, sustainable materials.
“We didn’t want to just take a space and point and click on whatever design website and fill space,” Greg Young said. “We wanted the community to be represented in the space.”
Ossining Riverworks
30 State St.
Sing Sing Prison Museum is happy to have a new office at Riverworks. We have already used the conference space too. An added bonus is that at one point, Dr. Hill was also a doctor at Sing Sing—and this ties into the museum’s mission!