Office

Austin, San Antonio Office Markets Move Closer While Retaining Distinct Drivers

by Taylor Williams October 25, 2019

The phenomenal growth taking place in Austin and San Antonio has shown little sign of slowing over the past several years. These two mid-size Texas cities are developing quickly and continue to undergo rapid change. Both are ranked in the top 10 fastest-growing metro areas in the country and both have unemployment levels at near-record lows. Tenant Profiles The industries driving the economy in these two central Texas cities are quite different. Each has strong tourism sectors, but that is where the similarities end. In Austin, the tech industry, government, life sciences and creative arts are keeping the market extremely active. Defense, healthcare, oil and gas and the burgeoning markets of cybersecurity and biotech are driving absorption in San Antonio. New tenants are coming to San Antonio to take advantage of lower costs and an abundant workforce — a positive trend that reflects strong fundamentals and viability. As for Austin, Fortune 500 companies continue to pour into the city not only to capitalize on the lower cost of doing business in Texas, but also to recruit and lure a highly educated workforce. Austin’s third-consecutive gold medal ranking as the “Best Place to Live” by U.S. News & World Report makes …

October 25, 2019

Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Office Ohio

New Construction, Mixed-Use Drive Columbus Office Market Activity

by Kristin Harlow October 24, 2019

As a whole, commercial real estate in Columbus has experienced high levels of activity in recent years, and the office market has been no exception. The amount of new office space hitting the market has kept vacancy and average rental rates relatively flat, pacing the economic growth of the region. The vacancy rate has hovered around 6 to 7 percent, and the average rental rates are around $18 to $19 per square foot on a gross basis. Developers in the region are anticipating continued growth, so there is an additional 830,000 square feet of office space currently under construction. With that amount of new construction, we don’t expect the vacancy or rental rates to change dramatically in the coming year. Let’s look at the trends driving these numbers. Population, economic growth Columbus continues to grow quickly. Columbus offers residents a low cost of living, great drivability, plenty of amenities and economic opportunity. Since 2010, the metro area has grown by 10.8 percent, adding over 200,000 people, which makes Columbus the 14th-largest city in the United States with over 2 million total residents. The population growth hasn’t slowed down; from 2017 to 2018, the area grew 1.2 percent, and forecasts expect …

October 24, 2019

Market Reports New Jersey Northeast Northeast Market Reports Office

New Jersey Office Market in Good Shape Heading into Final Quarter of 2019

by Taylor Williams October 23, 2019

Employment growth in New Jersey continues to trend higher. Since the low point of the last recession in 2010, the state’s private sector has seen almost 409,000 new jobs added (through July). Of the office-using industries, professional and business services have shown healthy annual job growth — up 13,900 jobs — while financial services jobs have recorded declines over the past year. Meanwhile, the state’s unemployment rate continued to tick lower to 3.3 percent (as of July), the lowest in its recorded history. Within this context, the fundamentals of the New Jersey office market remain healthy as we enter the final quarter of 2019, with absorption totals remaining in the black, vacancies sinking lower and asking rents trending upward. Regional Discrepancies Northern New Jersey’s vacancy rate had dropped to 18.3 percent by the middle of 2019, the lowest point since the end of 2012, while central New Jersey checked in at 15.5 percent, marking four consecutive quarterly decreases. Space has tightened in some key submarkets, making landlords increasingly bullish. As a result, asking rents in Northern New Jersey have risen to $31.62 per square foot — an all-time high and a jump of 17.8 percent over the last four years. …

October 23, 2019

Illinois Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Office

Chicago CBD Office Market in the Groove, Even Property Taxes Unlikely to Bring It Down

by Kristin Harlow October 17, 2019

Despite recent concerns of an imminent market correction, the Chicago central business district (CBD) still has room to run. There are many signs of optimism in the market, including continued healthy fundamentals and a wealth of redevelopment projects injecting new life and vibrancy into various submarkets. In the second quarter, downtown Chicago wrapped up its busiest quarter for office leasing since 2016. Additionally, the downtown office vacancy rate of 11.6 percent was the lowest it had been since 2016. To top it off, Chicago is experiencing historically high annual levels of net absorption, which potentially could put upward pressure on rents, and sublease space is relatively scarce. It’s hard to find stronger evidence of a robust CBD office market. Redevelopment projects Market statistics aside, noteworthy redevelopments have Chicagoans genuinely excited as they look forward to a new crop of influential spaces that will drive the next iteration of the Chicago office market. The real estate fairy tale that has real estate aficionados entranced — not only in Chicago but nationally — is 601W Cos.’ Old Post Office project at 433 W. Van Buren. More than 1 million square feet has already been leased at the 2.8 million-square-foot space, largely thanks …

October 17, 2019

Market Reports Office Oregon Western Western Market Reports

Spec Office Development Enters Portland as Demand Increases

by Taylor Williams October 11, 2019

Portland’s office market is experiencing strong growth as it continues to benefit from an influx of Bay Area and Seattle tenants moving into the city. This is due to the relatively affordable rental rates and positioning between the two booming tech hubs along the West Coast. The city is seeing an increase of large tech tenants making their home in Portland, starting with Intel, which is Portland’s largest employer. Other companies, such a Genentech, Google, Oracle, Salesforce and many others have also taken up tenancy in the Portland Metro area. Seattle-based Amazon recently leased 83,995 square feet in Portland’s newest Class A office building, Broadway Tower, while Amazon’s AWS Elemental division leased 101,000 square feet in the former Oregonian headquarters, which is adjacent to Broadway Tower. The office market continues to perform well with a vacancy rate of 7.3 percent, beating out the 10-year average of 8.65 percent. All of these new companies making their way to Portland are creating substantial job opportunities for Portland’s ever-growing population. Portland is home to several large industry-leading companies, such as Nike, Intel, Columbia Sportswear and Adidas, which attract workforce talent across the world. This has helped spur the growth of Portland’s economy, which …

October 11, 2019

Market Reports Office Texas Texas Market Reports

With Oil Still Recovering, Midland Office Market May See Higher Vacancy in 2019

by Taylor Williams October 4, 2019

Throughout the first half of 2018, when oil prices appeared to be on a steady upward trajectory, Midland, Texas, saw a number of energy firms up their stakes in the city’s office market. Major names such as Chevron, Anadarko, Apache and Natural Gas Services Group announced build-to-suit office projects in Midland during this time, adding a significant amount of supply to this 6 million-square-foot market. In addition, strong leasing activity by an array of energy firms looking to bolster their operations in the Permian Basin helped the market’s occupancy rate rise to about 92 percent. This growth in occupancy was anchored by a low unemployment rate and accompanied by positive rent growth. Now, however, with oil prices down from their 2018 highs (West Texas intermediate traded at $56.11 per barrel at the time of this writing), there is more uncertainty in the Midland office market. While the office occupancy rate has held steady and rents have even grown slightly during the last year, currently clocking in at about $23 per square foot, Midland could see a significant amount of supply of office space returned to the market over the next six to 12 months. Examples in Action Chevron, which earlier …

October 4, 2019

California Market Reports Office Western Western Market Reports

San Diego’s Office Market Shows Strong Fundamentals, Continued Creativity

by Taylor Williams September 27, 2019

The outlook for San Diego’s office market is sunny and bright. Often considered a less costly option for office users as compared to other Southern California markets, San Diego holds consistent appeal for tenants seeking a coastal address where the weather is mild and the vibe is entrepreneurial and business friendly. The market is following the national trend of stronger occupancy rates and robust absorption, buoyed by a healthy economy. At 10.2 percent in the second quarter — the lowest level in nearly 14 years — San Diego’s office vacancy rate beats the national office vacancy rate of 12 percent — the lowest level in 18 years, despite construction. These fundamentals are demonstrating increased tenant demand. We’re continuing to see growth and expansion of office in submarkets throughout San Diego County. Sorrento Valley is one of the stronger office submarkets due to its centralized location and accessibility to major freeways. Other submarkets with heightened demand are Del Mar Heights, which is close to the ocean and suburban areas that house corporate executives, and Kearny Mesa, another major business center for the county. Carlsbad and Oceanside in North County and Chula Vista in South County are also popular choices. Oceanside and …

September 27, 2019

Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Missouri Office

Multiple Office Developments Proposed for St. Louis County

by Kristin Harlow September 26, 2019

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 …

September 26, 2019

Market Reports Midwest Midwest Market Reports Minnesota Office

Strong Economy, Low Unemployment Drive Twin Cities Office Market Success

by Kristin Harlow September 19, 2019

Our Twin Cities office market remains strong as the population of millennials and empty nesters continues to migrate to first- and second-ring areas, bringing revitalization and new investment into the city’s commerce and infrastructure. With vacancies remaining exceptionally low and fewer developments on the horizon, rents have shown consistent growth. We are seeing fewer new buildings under construction for single-tenant users. Most are geared toward multi-tenant, mixed-use concepts. Newly renovated buildings with many amenities are performing well in attracting and keeping tenants. With the metro’s unemployment right around 3 percent and employers with jobs to fill, tenants have the leverage. Offering modern and high-tech communal spaces with multiple amenities is key. Tenants and buyers are leveraging this trend, therefore spaces with the allure of contemporary and updated finishes are highly desired. It is imperative that landlords and owners renovate and update their buildings in order to stay relevant in today’s market. Many tenants are simply moving from one space to another nearby because it has been updated and improved upon. That is one of the bigger challenges — improvements that keep the space relevant. Space configurations Employers often offset higher rent costs by embracing space efficiency and flexible workspace strategies …

September 19, 2019

California Market Reports Office Western Western Market Reports

San Francisco’s Office Market is More Boom than Bust

by Taylor Williams September 13, 2019

San Francisco has been a boom-and-bust market since the Gold Rush. The current intense scrutiny of the yield curve, combined with the stock market’s recent erratic behavior, has sent warnings of the next looming recession. Just how will this affect the office market? Fortunately for the Bay Area, not much. Today, several key factors insulate San Francisco from a severe downturn, unlike past cycles. Among them are Proposition M and a concentration of venture capital, highly skilled talent and some of the world’s largest companies. Since 1986, Proposition M has limited the amount of office development the city will authorize in any given year. The program aims to guard against typical boom-and-bust cycles. The San Francisco office market only includes 85 million square feet, as opposed to Manhattan or Houston, for example, which comprise 400 million and 240 million square feet, respectively. Manhattan currently has 12.4 million square feet of office space under construction, while San Francisco has 3 million square feet in the pipeline. The entitlement limit under Prop M has been reached, meaning no additional new projects can be approved until October when another 950,000 square feet will be allocated for the next year. At first glance, these …

September 13, 2019

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