Laura Zastrow
Efrat Livny at Threshold
With its exposed, wooden arched ceiling, brightly colored walls and newly added skylights, Threshold, 2717 Atwood Ave., feels calm and inviting. This recently opened multi-unit work space fills a need on Madison’s near east side for office, retail and studio space that’s “functional, well located, fully accessible, aesthetic and stimulating for small businesses,” says founder Efrat Livny.
Livny, an artist and bodyworker, recently lost her own work studio at the corner of Dunning Street and Atwood due to construction of a new apartment building on the site. As she looked for alternative space nearby, a mostly empty building on Atwood caught her eye.
Over the years, the building has hosted everything from an auto shop to a diner to a plumbing company. More recently, it housed part of the Goodman Community Center, now in a new building a few blocks away.
Shannon Lund
Another sign of the revitilization of Atwood.
Ian Gurfield (founder of Ian’s Pizza) was interested in buying the century-old, 4,300-square-foot building, but needed a committed tenant to do so. At the time, Livny was looking for only about 1,500 square feet, but, she says, “I heard myself saying ‘I’ll take the whole thing’” — and the idea for Threshold was born.
Laura Zastrow
Exposed beams set the tone for this new office collaborative space.
“When I realized that I would be sharing the building with another, yet unknown, business,” she says, “I took the plunge and committed to leasing all of it so that I could pick and choose those businesses.” The idea for a new kind of office building began to unfold.
Livny sees Threshold filled with professionals who desire an “environment that is creative and communal, and emphasizes well-being.” Weekly gatherings of tenants will help build community and promote opportunities for collaboration.
Along with Livny’s own studio, a photographer and massage therapist currently rent space there. But Threshold isn’t just for artists and bodyworkers. “We want a variety of people here,” Livny says — lawyers, CPAs and web designers might be a good fit.
Threshold also houses a kitchen and a space available for community events that, in keeping with the theme of the building, “promote creativity and well-being,” says Livny. These could include meetings, exhibits and performances. The event space opens onto a patio that’s soon to hold a garden.
Livny wants Threshold to be an active contributor to the near east side. “I see it as a nucleus for continued revitalization of Atwood Avenue,” filled with people who “love to come to work and feel that they are part of something exciting and meaningful.”
Threshold 2717 Atwood Ave., 608-220-8849, atthreshold.com
