The Grotto is a coworking and creative community in downtown York, PA offering flexible workspace, artist studios, offices, event space, and workshops for entrepreneurs, creatives, and small businesses.
Our Mission: The Grotto Community Center exists to equip, educate, and empower creatives, entrepreneurs, and community members by providing space, resources, and opportunities to grow.
We believe that when people have the support to try something new—whether that’s starting a business, making art, or building an idea—entire communities become stronger.
What We Do
The Grotto is a community-centered creative and entrepreneurial hub in York, PA.
Through coworking, artist studios, events, and shared resources, we create an environment where people can:
explore ideas
build something real
connect with others doing the same
Whether you’re just getting started or growing something bigger, The Grotto is designed to meet you where you are—and help you move forward.
Our Story
The Grotto began as a simple idea: what if creatives and small business owners didn’t have to figure it out alone?
From 2019 to early 2025, we operated out of Continental Square in downtown York, building a community of people who wanted more—more connection, more support, and more space to create.
Today, we’ve moved into our permanent home at The Grotto Commons, located at 17 E. Philadelphia Street—a 30,000 square foot campus designed to expand what’s possible for our community.
Where We’re Going
The Commons represents our next chapter.
We are actively building a space that supports not just individual work, but collective growth—where creativity, entrepreneurship, and community intersect in meaningful ways.
We’re asking a simple question: what if we built something bigger, together?
Leadership & Community
The Grotto is currently supported by a working board, contractors, and community leaders as we build toward our next phase of staffing.
Alexa Born, Interim Executive Director
A big believer in people pursuing their dreams, Alexa is a supporter of both the arts and entrepreneurship.
When she’s not at The Grotto, she’s gardening, hanging with her dogs, and cooking good food for friends and family. Also, she loves surprises.
She’s excited to walk alongside The Grotto Community during this next phase of its growth. You’ll find her either at the front desk or making new spaces ready throughout our 30,000 square foot campus. She’s waiting to get you a key to The Grotto!
Lizz Dawson, Marketing Manager
Lizz Dawson is a writer, poet, artist, and professor from York, PA with an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School in NYC. She’s held editorial positions at various magazines and organizations, won things, and her writing has been published in print and online (Peatsmoke Journal, Hayden’s Ferry Review, The Rumpus, etc). She has a decade of experience in marketing and copywriting.
But most importantly, she loves baking in the sun, interior design, travel, and a dance club almost as much as a coffee shop. Currently, she teaches creative writing at York College, writes a Substack called Hangry Ghost, and is working on two books (maybe three, who knows).
Board of Directors
Gregory Timmons, President
Sharee McFadden, Vice President
Benjamin Spangler, Secretary
Tiffani Spangler, Treasurer
Skyler Yost, Past President
Alexa Born
Meagan Given
Alyssa Gross
Rahad Khan
Trisha Melikian
Support The Grotto
The Grotto is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means everything we build is designed to benefit the community—not just the people who use the space every day.
Your support helps us:
keep space accessible for creatives and entrepreneurs
offer workshops, events, and community programming
grow The Grotto Commons into a long-term resource for York
When you donate, you’re not just supporting a building—you’re investing in the people and ideas that come out of it.