In what is likely a historic first, the amount of office space in the U.S. is forecast to decline in 2023, according to Jones Lang LaSalle.
This would be the first net decline according to data going back to 2000, JLL says, and it’s likely the first decline ever.
National office inventory is believed to have never declined in the past, though it may have come close to doing so during the Great Depression.
A dearth of new construction and a large amount of office space being repurposed or destroyed accounts for the project decline this year. Less than five million sf of new office space has broken ground in the U.S. this year, while 14.7 million sf has been removed.
The post-pandemic work-from-home trend and the increased costs of borrowing have dampened the office market. Office delinquencies are on the rise, and property values in the office sector are falling.
Recent analysis from market research firm Trepp estimated average office building valuation declines from 52% for those constructed after 2000 to 60% for pre-1950 buildings. This sets “a gloomy tone” for the future office market, Trepp says.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Mar 5, 2015
Goettsch Partners unveils plans for dual office towers in Warsaw
The Mennica Legacy Tower development is divided into a 35-story tower located on the south east side of the site and a 10-story building on the west side.
High-rise Construction | Mar 4, 2015
Must see: Egypt planning 656-foot pyramid skyscraper in Cairo
Zayed Crystal Spark Tower will stand 200 meters tall and will be just a short distance from the pyramids of Giza.
Transit Facilities | Mar 4, 2015
5+design looks to mountains for Chinese transport hub design
The complex, Diamond Hill, will feature sloping rooflines and a mountain-like silhouette inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings.
Office Buildings | Mar 3, 2015
Former DuPont lab to be converted into business incubator near UPenn campus
The new Pennovation Center will provide collaborative and research spaces for educators, scientists, students, and the private sector.
Office Buildings | Mar 1, 2015
Google unveils dramatic tent-like, modular-focused plan for corporate HQ
The master plan by Bjarke Ingels and Thomas Heatherwick will wrap highly flexible office blocks in soaring translucent canopies.
Office Buildings | Feb 26, 2015
Using active design techniques to strengthen the corporate workplace and enhance employee wellness
The new Lentz Public Health Center in Nashville, Tenn., serves as a model of how those progressive and healthy changes can be made.
Sponsored | Shopping Centers | Feb 26, 2015
A color-changing gateway for Altara Center
Valspar works with developers to complete a multicolored shopping center façade in Honduras.
Office Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
The importance of quiet and the consequences of distraction
Recent work style studies show that the average knowledge worker spends 25-35% of their time doing heads-down focused work. Once thrown off track, it can take some 23 minutes for a worker to return to the original task.
Codes and Standards | Feb 18, 2015
USGBC concerned about developers using LEED registration in marketing
LEED administrators are concerned about a small group of developers or project owners who tout their projects as “LEED pre-certified” and then fail to follow through with certification.
Office Buildings | Feb 18, 2015
Commercial real estate developers optimistic, but concerned about taxes, jobs outlook
The outlook for the commercial real estate industry remains strong despite growing concerns over sluggish job creation and higher taxes, according to a new survey of commercial real estate professionals by NAIOP.