Western Washington University’s new downtown office, called the Western City Center, opened on Monday, Sept. 21 on the corner ground-level floor of the Herald Building at 1155 N. State St.

Western’s goal for new office is to better connect the university with downtown Bellingham.

The 2,500-square-foot space has a public reception area, a retail space with Western-branded items, and a kiosk where event tickets can be purchased. It also has offices and a conference room that will host public events.

The office is open to walk-in visitors and the public can stop by for complimentary Viking Blend coffee by Woods Coffee. Lynden-based Woods Coffee will also provide free pastries on Wednesdays to celebrate “Western Wednesday.”

Seven members of Western’s University Advancement and Alumni Association staff, as well as student staff and interns, work out of the downtown office.

The Bellingham Herald reported that the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will also open after hours for special events including the Oct. 2 Downtown Bellingham Art Walk and the Downtown Bellingham Trick-or-treat on Halloween, according to a press release from the university.

Western officials said in May that the university signed a two-year lease on the space with options for three additional annual extensions.