I have been a client at OSI since 2011, including a conference-room package for a while, then a full-service office when I needed one, and now a simple mail-and-phone only package. Here are the pros and cons as I see them:
Pros:
-Easy/no hassle. A lot of these short-term/flex office programs (and I've probably used a dozen around the world for various small business needs) are a pain in the butt. They have hidden charges, nickel-and-dime you for little things, and are often difficult to join and harder to quit. OSI was very simple to join. Some paperwork was required, but nothing unexpected, and I have successfully used the address as my business address for 5 years without any real problems.
-Location. If you're actually in DC, the location is hard to beat. (I now have a permanent office at a "fancier" building on Pennsylvania Avenue, but I still prefer to keep the K Street address and it's not a chore to hop up there once a week or two to grab mail.)
-Conference rooms. There are two conference rooms and a dozen or more day offices that are easy to reserve.
-Communication. Unlike some of the national/global companies, where you can call up and get a random person answering the phone, this is a small single-floor operation with the same folks running it, so you know who you're talking to.
Cons:
-Style. I will say that the management has put a lot into making the place nicer and more aesthetically appealing, but it's not a fancy-looking place. This is great for solo lawyers or therapists, but if you have a lot of high-value client contact, you probably won't wow anyone if this is your sole/permanent office. It feels like a doctor's office, not a white shoe law firm (whereas my other building, where I started with virtual only and I now have a full office, "feels" fancier and more impressive).
-Lots of clients. This isn't a bad thing, and obviously you want the security of knowing that OSI isn't going to go bankrupt, but when I used to use the conference rooms here, there were some days when everything would be booked up or when it was generally crowded. Some of the clients also had "unexpected" business guests -- I think there were at least a couple of temp agencies with offices there, but then all of their temp workers would come to pick up paychecks, etc., and fill up the shared waiting area. Not sure that this still happens, but it was one of the factors that motivated me to seek a more permanent office in a nicer building.
Overall an excellent place to do business and get started. Lots of folks use the space. A surprising number of Supreme Court amicus briefs will have some lawyer or other with "1629 K St NW, Ste 300" as the listed address, and I chuckle every time I see it. read more