The office market in St. Louis has remained very active over the past year. With very little speculative development, the St. Louis County vacancy rate for Class A office space has experienced little change but remains at a historic low of 11.1 percent. Demand remains for large blocks of space in the more desirable submarkets such as Clayton and West County, as there are limited options for existing space. This has created an opportunity for new, proposed office developments gaining securing commitments from large occupiers. Most, if not all, proposed multi-tenant office developments around St. Louis County are contingent upon significant leasing commitments before construction can commence. A few key trends have played a major role in why developers now have the ability to attract large tenants to new developments. Tenants searching for office space in excess of 25,000 square feet have been struggling to find contiguous and efficient options. Rental rates are at all-time highs, with some of the top-tier buildings achieving rents well over $30 per square foot. Lastly, tenants are using office space differently than before and new office developments are providing more efficient floor plates with multiple on-site amenities that tenants highly value today. Project examples …
