This is a failing of most coworking spaces in SF, and I imagine its a question purely of economics. I'd like to see (or hey, get funding to start) an open plan office that at least has the option of high-wall cubicles. I also think there's a bit of a gold rush in that commercial real estate owners figure they can just take a big open room and throw a bunch of tables down and charge everybody $300/mo to huddle together.
However, there are also several hackerspaces that have woodshops and whatnot, so it seems like a short hop to think that if computery people can work as part of a multidisciplinary office next to a bandsaw, why not work alongside daycare workers? Maybe there are some legal issues in sharing in this way, but by splitting a big open office into a daycare side of a wall and an internet one, maybe there's a way.
I wonder how a landlord in SF would feel about using a residential address as a shared office: much more affordable than downtown real estate and maybe the bonus of a garden for the summer. I expect that happens a lot unofficially..
Uh...residential real estate is hardly "much more affordable" in SF. In fact, office space in soma is likely still cheaper than residential here (not sure why you'd want to be downtown). Also, probably illegal if not zoned for commercial
However, there are also several hackerspaces that have woodshops and whatnot, so it seems like a short hop to think that if computery people can work as part of a multidisciplinary office next to a bandsaw, why not work alongside daycare workers? Maybe there are some legal issues in sharing in this way, but by splitting a big open office into a daycare side of a wall and an internet one, maybe there's a way.