Entrepreneur hub opens a northern branch in Covington

The original idea for the I.P. Building was simple enough: Gather up some innovative companies, put them together, add a cool bar and a bit of publicity, and see what happens. What has happened has far exceeded the hopes of GNO, Inc. or its partners at Idea Village. The original four tenants of the IP Building have blossomed into eleven. Local and national media have taken up the idea of the IP as the physical and symbolic heart of the GNO brain-gain, and spread the message around the country. And the building continues to grow, with the recent addition of Deltree Productions. Like Silicon Alley in NYC, the IP Building has helped to locate and catalyze a creative professional movement. Based on this success, another one is in the works. Tomorrow, GNO, Inc. and its partners – the Feil Organization and Corporate Realty – will hold a “pre-opening” cocktail reception at the I.P. North under development in St. Tammany. The I.P. North will be an adaptive reuse of a strip mall right off the main street in historic Covington, next to the St. Tammany Trace. More than an incubator, the IP North building is a place for creative and digital companies to create a community and call home, benefiting from a dedicated space, specialized services, and even free media promotion. Like the original IP, it will include not only space for high-growth companies, but also a restaurant/bar, a fitness center and shared conference space. And the IP North will add a new element: a dog park. The event is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Village Walk on the corner of Lee Lane and Gibson Streets in Covington. No preregistration is necessary. For more information, call 504-897-0462. To read more about the IP Building concept in 10/12, click here.