By Phil Breidenbach, Senior Executive Vice President, Colliers Companies are coming back to the office in Phoenix. Businesses are envisioning the return of their workforce as many look for new space or reconfigure their existing facilities. Building owners feel the momentum. We have reason to be optimistic — the future of the office and how we use the workplace is exciting! Getting there, however, will be turbulent. Your patience may be tested. Colliers’ fourth-quarter office report shows vacancies stabilizing market wide, positive absorption occurring in key submarkets and rents increasing marginally. Positive fourth-quarter absorption was led by leasing in new Class A+ buildings like 100 S. Mill. This Hines/Cousins project is 80 percent leased by institutional, “household name” tenants at record rents several months prior to completion. Vacancy rates may, however, continue to fluctuate as certain downsizing continues. Some institutional users are adopting work from home for much of their workforce, convinced this strategy will help with employee retention and cost reduction without impacting productivity — assumptions yet to be proven. This strategy has corporate America subleasing space, allowing leases to expire and vacating spaces, which is stagnating recovery. ‘Short Term’ — The Renewal Mantra for 2022 We speak with office occupiers regularly about back-to-work strategies. …
