A coworking space with built-in childcare soft-opened Tuesday, Sept. 8, inside Tacoma's Old City Hall at 625 Commerce St.

SheWorks combines full-day and drop-in childcare for children ages 2.5 to 6 with coworking desks, meeting rooms, community programming and a photography and event studio called The Frame.

The formal grand opening celebration is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.

Founder Ashley Whitney told SouthSoundBiz.com the goal was to build a space where work and parenting could fit together.

"We wanted to create the kind of place we wished existed when we were trying to balance work, motherhood, and everything in between," Whitney said.

The drop-in option targets parents who need a few hours of care rather than a full-day slot. Full-time center-based childcare in Washington state averages about $16,908 a year for a 4-year-old, according to a 2026 analysis by TOOTRiS.

Monthly costs range from roughly $1,409 for a 4-year-old to $1,779 for an infant.

Daycare rates in Tacoma tend to run lower than in Seattle, where families can pay $2,500 to $3,600 a month, according to TrustedCare. Statewide, costs average $900 to $2,500 a month.

SheWorks has not listed its pricing.

SheWorks is one of the newest tenants in Old City Hall, the five-story landmark at Pacific Avenue and South 7th Street topped by a 10-story clock tower. The building served as Tacoma's seat of government from 1893 to 1957 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Surge Tacoma won the right to purchase and redevelop the building in March 2019 for $2 million, plus $2 million in in-kind donations over 10 years.

The redevelopment carries a $15 million budget and calls for 40 micro apartments, two restaurants, retail space, a basement speakeasy in the old jail, and office and coworking space.

The News Tribune reported that eight leases had been completed, with several suites still available. The Old City Hall website still carries a "Now Leasing" banner.

The grand opening celebration is open to the public at the Commerce Street location.