The building was originally intended as office space for state agencies. But Curb writes that the Thompson Center “racked up $326 million in deferred maintenance and cost $17 million a year just to operate” and “in 2015 the state government decided to offload its money pit, and it’s been largely empty ever since.” After several years of uncertainty around whether the Thompson Center would be demolished, the state and a major developer came to an agreement that would preserve the architecturally significant structure. WTTW reports that earlier this year, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker “announced the state had reached a deal to sell the Thompson Center to developer the Prime Group for $70 million. The state planned to keep 425,000 square feet of office space at the Thompson Center and contribute $148 million toward the renovation of the building.”

But last month, tech behemoth Google decided to make the Thompson Center its second Chicago headquarters. On July 27, Google released a company announcement that said “we intend to buy the iconic James R. Thompson Center building in Chicago’s Loop upon future renovation, which deepens our commitment to Google’s long-term presence in the city” and “we will be getting in on the ground floor of a broader revitalization of the Loop.” The purchase also gives Prime Group a role in Google’s transition. “The search engine giant, with 2,000 employees in Chicago, will occupy the entire building. The state, working out terms with developer Michael Reschke, will sell it to Google for $105 million,” according to The Chicago Sun-Times. “Reschke, CEO of the firm Prime Group, will manage a renovation of the Thompson Center for Google.”

Google’s decision to move into the Thompson Center signals a possible renaissance for the Loop, a location beset by pandemic-related office desertion. “Brokers who are marketing properties for sale or lease in the Loop will use Google as leverage. For tech companies, setting up offices in the Central Loop could suddenly flip from an odd move to a cool one,” Crain’s Chicago Business writes. “Such a shift would reaffirm the Loop as the gravitational center of downtown business for the next generation.” The deal’s ripple effect is coming at a critical time for Chicago. BISNOW reports that “the announcement was especially welcome following the high-profile losses of Boeing, Caterpillar and Citadel, which have all announced plans to move their headquarters out of the city. City and state officials said it also highlights Chicago’s viability as a key player in the tech industry while generating tax revenue for the city.”

Don’t underestimate the power of java to jog ideas. Employers can facilitate caffeinated chats between employees with some savvy interior design. “Removing coffee points in each department in favor of a centralized cafe or breakout area brings everyone together and dilutes the boundaries between the different disciplines of the business,” insightful environments writes. “As people from different parts of the company visit the space to refuel and refresh, it becomes a hub for unexpected conversations to take place.” Employers are now setting up events called “randomized coffee trials” to foster staff cohesion and effortless idea trading. “Each week or month, a specially designed piece of software matches people at random and informs them of the connection by email,” Conversational Leadership explains. “It is then up to the pair who have been matched to get in touch with each other and organize a chat over coffee.” These get-togethers are proving useful by bringing workers from different sectors together and helping them learn from one another. According to Horizons, “Randomized coffee trials are a brilliantly simple way of connecting people who wouldn’t normally get the chance to meet and have a conversation. They are proven to encourage people to work collaboratively and break down silos.”

Like informal talks over coffee, chance encounters on the office staircase are ripe with potential for stronger professional bonding. “A single staircase built on a scale grand enough to connect all floors also creates a great central hub,” according to Paragon Stairs. “To really see just where all the action of departments interacting with each other lies, you only have to look at the staircase to see who is strengthening relations.” And when employees might otherwise stick to socializing with staff in their own departments, a central staircase can prompt collaborations across departments, which creates greater synergy. “A medium to a large-sized office often experiences disassociation between its different teams and departments,” Ackworth House writes. “The physical divide of rooms and floors discourage employees from interacting with each other. With an intercommunicating staircase, they can meet on the steps and have a quick chat before going about their day.” The ripple effect of these conversations is vital to any organization that values dynamism. “Wide open staircases that flow through a building connecting floors and departments can encourage workflow and foster collaboration, connecting people and spaces,” SpiralUK writes.

While team members can get to know one another and share advice on an open staircase or over coffee, they can also build valuable rapport by simply leaving their desks or cubicles and working at the same table. Space Refinery writes, “community promote a collaborative workplace because they enable your employees to work in groups.” The impact of these team-building tables is manifold. “A communal table could possibly decrease the need of constantly booking a conference room if used as an alternative ‘breakout’ space. It also can bring back the tradition of a ‘kickoff’ morning meeting with your entire company, which jumpstarts momentum for the work day,” Inc. explains. “Utilizing a communal desk space as a collaborative venture between departments can result in quicker communication, faster issue resolution, and impromptu brainstorming and problem solving.” In addition to these benefits, community tables also bring balance to 21st workplace. According to ROSI Blog, “with electronic communications on the rise, the re-birth of the community table is more important than ever. It’s a reminder that face-to-face interaction is still king when it comes to sharing ideas.”

And the opportunities that come from meeting coworkers for coffee, a chat on the stairs, or a brainstorming session at a shared table are irreplaceable even with today’s technological advancements. Brent Zeigler, president of Dyer Brown Architects in Boston, told Forbes that “it’s impossible for online platforms like Zoom to recreate the effects of impromptu in-person socializing” and that “that cultural piece –creating the sense of connectedness, belonging and support – never quite gets there in a virtual setting.”

One way that employers are facilitating greener practices is by putting in place electric vehicle charging stations for their employees and the public. This March, The New York Times reported that “one of the major sticking points to [electric vehicles’] widespread adoption remains the nation’s undersized and spotty charging infrastructure.” Charging stations’ scarcity has made them a highly valued addition to any commercial real estate development. CBRE writes that “although electric vehicle charging may be viewed as a near-term perk or amenity, evidence suggests it will be a necessity for commercial properties in the future—real estate investors and owners must be prepared for the EV revolution.” Employers are taking heed. For instance, this month, CNBC reported that banking giant JP Morgan Chase “is partnering with EVgo to pilot electric vehicle charging stations at select branches across the country, the company announced Thursday. The move is part of the bank’s push to promote sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint.”

In addition to electric vehicle charging stations, geothermal technology, which provides heating to buildings using energy from inside the Earth’s core, can play a major role in mitigating environmental degradation. “There is an increasing awareness — among consumers and governments alike — that climate change and greenhouse gas emissions have a severely harmful impact on the environment,” Plumbing and Mechanical Engineer explains. “Therefore, the demand for renewable energy sources and energy saving products, such as geothermal heat pumps, is also rising.” And according to a PR Newswire report, “residential and commercial users gravitating toward renewable and sustainable sources of energy have underpinned massive lucrative avenues in the geothermal heat pumps market.” The 555 Greenwich office building in New York City, is one such commercial property. Hines writes that the building “employs a groundbreaking combination of wellness and sustainability-forward features, including geothermal and radiant heating and cooling.

In addition, smart sensors are another technological advancement helping to reduce office real estate’s carbon footprint. JLL writes that “with more people working remotely – or returning to offices in socially-distanced shifts – smart sensors that detect office occupancy can make a critical difference to energy efficiency by optimizing lighting and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC).”And Verizon explains that “with the data available from these types of sensors, facility managers can be more energy-efficient, manage proactive maintenance, optimize cleaning schedules, analyze usage trends to allocate assets, extend the lifetime of their equipment, and so much more.” Employers are seeing these sensors as beneficial to the environment and their companies’ green credentials. “JLL, a partner of VergeSense which makes occupancy sensors, has been able to achieve LEED Platinum designation by utilizing energy efficient lighting, sensors, air filtration systems, and smart lighting, ” according to VergeSense. “Real-time monitoring of employee behavior using occupancy sensors can impact building energy consumption by 40%.”

These advancements portend a bright future for office real estate and the Earth, and they can also benefit the very stakeholders who aim to implement them. “The world is actively making an effort to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly and now is the time that all workplaces should also be prioritizing these initiatives,” according to Autonomous. “Besides helping the environment, sustainable business practices also result in more business for most companies because people like to work with companies that are socially responsible.”

For example, specialized technology can help employees on the autism spectrum feel comfortable at work, allowing them to make more-meaningful contributions. According to The Office of Disability Employment Policy, the approximately two percent of the population with autism “have atypical language and communication, social interaction, motor coordination and sensory processing, and executive functioning.” These differences become extra challenging in a hectic, noisy office, which is why Building Design + Construction recommends “providing better insulated spaces and allowing for manipulation of sound pressure levels” for autistic workers. Several tools exist that make discordant noise in the workplace less noticeable. “A sound masking system—along with its partner soundscaping—is a grid of speakers that is typically hidden above an acoustical tile ceiling and creates a gentle blanket of sound that mimics HVAC noise,” Building reports, “making the office a much more attractive place to escape to and get some work done.” Neurodiverse employees who have difficulty adjusting to external stimuli will find amenities like these invaluable.

ADHD is another neurodiverse classification that poses both challenges and opportunities for success for workers who have it. ADDitude Magazine explains that “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder that impacts the parts of the brain that help us plan, focus on, and execute tasks.” Despite the issues surrounding this diagnosis, there are multiple advantages associated with it. “Research shows employees with ADHD can be more curious, creative, imaginative, innovative, and inventive,” according to Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). And certain workplace tools can help employees with ADHD hit their stride in the office and capitalize on their natural talents. “Those who suffer from ADHD will benefit from free address systems that support a choice of work environments and reflect their need for frequent movement,” Interior Architects writes, “by using voice recognition systems, their files can travel with them to their work site of choice without fear of disorganization.” The flexibility that these systems offer can allow employees with ADHD to focus on the creative and analytical aspects of their jobs at which they excel.

Also, assisting neurodiverse staff with amenities like voice recognition systems and sound masking systems can benefit executives as well as employees. “With a focus on the strengths of neurodiversity, employers are empowered to feel more confident and employees to feel better supported,” People Management explains, “leadership drives inclusion, so by making senior management teams aware of the benefits of neurodiversity and the critical contribution of diversity of thought to an innovative workforce, organizations can achieve greater competitive advantage.”

One of those areas is South Florida, where Amazon recently decided to expand its presence. According to The Wall Street Journal, “the e-commerce giant is renting nearly 9,000 square feet of office space at a WeWork Inc. building in Coral Gables, a city in Miami-Dade County.” Amazon’s decision to rent from the company signals Big Tech’s embrace of innovative arrangements for in-person work at this phase of the pandemic. Aside from these flexible office options, a business-friendly climate and proximity to Latin America’s white-collar workforce are also fueling the region’s rise as an industry hub. In addition to Amazon, The Wall Street Journal reports that “large tech-focused venture capital and private-equity firms like SoftBank, and Thoma Bravo have also migrated to the area.”

The Phoenix area is another location for Big Tech’s office resurgence. The online food-delivery service DoorDash and Silicon Valley-based investment company Robinhood have moved into offices in Tempe, a Phoenix suburb, since 2020. And last month, “construction workers were putting the finishing touches on a 17-story Tempe office building expected to add 550 Amazon workers to the 5,000 already in the area,” The New York Times reports. According to AZBIGMEDIA, JLL Managing Director Ryan Bartos said that “most tech tenants want the absolute nicest projects in town. This has placed metro Phoenix’s newest and best Class A office spaces in high demand.” He added, “companies who need flexibility can also lean on Phoenix’s large inventory of high-quality sublease space and spec office product.”

Aside from the pandemic’s current ebb, the reasons for Big Tech’s decision to bring in-person work back are manifold. For one, employers are becoming doubtful of their teams’ productivity while working virtually. According to a recent Insider article, some executives believe that Zoom “doesn’t spur employees to work as hard as being in the office.” Also, unlike other sectors, Big Tech can risk investing in new amenity-filled workspaces that might fail to bring in employees. The New York Times reports that since major tech companies are making staggering profits, they can “continue constructing offices without worrying about how much money they stand to lose if the buildings become obsolete.”

This technology’s importance to today’s workforce is apparent in recent office real estate trends. According to REjournals writer Dan Rafter, Honeywell Building Technologies President and CEO Doug Wright said in a written statement that “in a competitive labor market, demonstrating an effort to create a healthier work environment can be an advantage in attracting and retaining employees.” Developers are taking heed and building properties that ensure clean air for their occupants. Peter Curry, a real estate practice partner with Farrell Fritz, told GlobeSt contributor Paul Bergeron that a “state-of-the-art air filtration system” is “front and center” when developing a desirable workplace.

And companies are already finding that an advanced HVAC system pays off. For example, “since moving to its new office a year ago, Windsor Federal Savings, a Connecticut-based bank, hasn’t had a single instance of COVID-19 transmission through the workplace,” according to Ping. This feat is attributable—at least in part–to the company’s efforts to improve its office HVAC system. Ping writes that “ventilation and air cleaning measures like those adopted by Windsor were found to reduce the concentration of Covid aerosol particles by 80-90%.”

In addition to upgraded HVAC systems, several other innovations in air-quality control help minimize people’s chances of contracting COVID-19 at work. For instance, real-time sensors let workers know how clean their air supply is. According to Brit Morse, associate editor at INC., “They not only alert you about any contaminants via software on your computer or phone, but automatically adjust themselves to optimize air quality.” Also, bipolar ionization technology improves environments where pollution has depleted the ions which help clean air. Morse writes that this technology “can combat contaminants and break down gaseous elements, essentially sanitizing the air.”

A factor in Microsoft’s decision is the premium the company places on in-person interactions, which virtual exchanges simply cannot replace. In a GeekWire interview by reporter Todd Bishop, CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association Michael Schutzler said, “There’s also no relationship being built in Zoom. Those are transactional meetings. If you want relationships formed, you need interactions. And so I think they’re really trying to make sure that they don’t lose an essential part of the culture, their fabric of collaboration.

Also, King County, Washington state, where Microsoft’s headquarters is located, has a high vaccination rate, another major factor in the company’s decision to reopen its offices. “As of Feb. 8, 2022, 83.8% of eligible King County residents – where most of our Washington state employees live – have completed their vaccine series, and 91.6% have received at least one dose,” Capossela writes. “These high vaccination rates, along with declining hospitalizations and deaths in the state, are part of what enables us to move to this stage of our hybrid work journey.”

A six-stage Hybrid Work Model helped guide the company in bringing employees back to the office. The model’s stages range from “Stage 1: Closed” to “Stage 6: Open”, with varying degrees of in-person occupancy in between. With Monday’s announcement, Microsoft’s offices are returning to Stage 6. According to New York Times journalist Karen Wiese, “The company has long said it would embrace a hybrid work environment, with most employees able to work from home up to 50 percent of the time.” And Capossela reiterated that the reopening plan strives to give employees a hybrid schedule that works well for them and that is in sync with what they negotiated with their teams and managers.

CLC expects the ATC to have a considerable impact on Lake County’s economy. The ATC’s website says that “recent research from the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC) shows the region can benefit from and is ready to invest in an ATC.” Similarly, Graham reports that the CEO of Waukegan-based United Conveyor Corp, Andrew Warrington, is impressed with ATC’s potential to supply local manufacturers with a ready workforce. Warrington told the Daily Herald that “the ATC will enable us to rapidly increase our pool of skilled workers.”

Funding for this ambitious project also reflects its importance to local interests. In August 2021, Daily Herald reporter Mick Zawislak wrote that $20 million dollars in funding for the ATC will come from a CLC bond issue. And Chicago-area philanthropists John and Kathy Schreiber contributed another $2 million to the project. According to a press release about the donation, CLC President Dr. Lori Suddick said, “Ensuring accessible educational attainment for all Lake County residents and a sufficient, diverse skilled talent pipeline for local workforce needs are critical priorities.”

In addition to its regional benefits, CLC sees ATC playing a part in the nationwide effort to reshape the manufacturing sector. The college was recently selected to join the Clinton Global Initiative’s commitment to action, which focuses on making manufacturing in the United States more inclusive. Director of the Advanced Technology Center Jon Hardbarger said in a CLC press release about the initiative that the center “will expand CLC’s credential program capacity and connect students directly to manufacturing jobs, ensuring a more racially equitable future for the manufacturing industry.”

Graham writes that the ATC’s first phase is expected to be complete by July 2022 and “will include a welding and fabrication lab, space for the new industrial technology program and a V-shaped entrance atrium.”

An article in Seeking Alpha reported that office utilization levels “have shown notable improvement above 50% in major Sunbelt markets including Austin, Houston, and Dallas and closer to 75% in several Sunbelt markets including Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Phoenix.” It attributes this upswing in part to the less-time-consuming office commutes that workers in these cities experience. For instance, Phoenix has an average commute time of 52.4 minutes; compare that to New York City which has one of 72.6 minutes.

In addition to the quick commute, Phoenix has multiple advantages for businesses and investors. According to JLL’s Phoenix Office Insight-Q4 2021 report, the city’s “business-friendly environment and diverse workforce continue to drive interest in Phoenix as one of the nation’s most attractive relocation and expansion targets. Out-of-state users still perceive Phoenix as a long-term investment that is comparably affordable and boasting a rapidly growing talent pool.” A CBRE report on Phoenix’s burgeoning tech industry notes how the availability of a college-educated workforce, affordable residential options and various public-private partnerships have made the city a strong business hub.

Phoenix’s attractiveness to businesses has contributed to its resilient office real estate sector. According to Mike Garlick, the managing director for Newmark Knight Frank, “Block 23 in Downtown Phoenix went for $488 per square foot. The esplanade at 24th Street and Camelback Road is going to trade for close to $400 per square foot. So there is capital coming into the market.” These numbers are impressive given the depressed price per square foot in other markets since the pandemic began.

Tenants are also flocking to localities beyond Phoenix’s city limits, such as Scottsdale, which is creating a wider boom for the region. For example, CBRE’s Phoenix Office Market Report Q4 says that the Northeast Valley/Scottsdale submarket “represents 42.9% of the gross leasing activity in the fourth quarter of 2021. The submarket is a combination of vacant land and an urban city rich with amenities which creates a unique opportunity for the region.”

Developers are capitalizing on this opportunity with sophisticated, high-quality projects. Garlick told AZBIGMedia that “the third quarter delivered approximately 388,347 square feet of new office product across Greater Phoenix, driven by the completion of the UNION Building 1 in Mesa and Choice Hotels’ tech headquarters in Scottsdale.”

When workers have several options for where they can concentrate and contribute, they thrive in their jobs. Coworking space company Bond Collective recommends that employers “give team members the freedom to work anywhere in the office that suits them. That may mean that one day they spread out in the lounge, the next day they isolate themselves at a desk, and the next day they sit on the floor in a corner.”

This is sage advice, given recent studies on worker experience. For instance, a Gensler Research Institute report states that “noise, privacy, and the ability to focus remain key determinants of workplace effectiveness. A choice-based strategy that provides a variety of spaces and different types of enclosure can reconcile these needs.” Thus, offices that accommodate multiple workstyles and preferences are vital to cultivating a fully present and gainful workforce.

And despite Work from Home’s recent popularity, many employers are investing in hybrid setups. “Fortunately for the office sector, the economy is roaring back at its strongest rate in decades,” according to PWC’s Emerging Trends report, “Historically, office demand has closely correlated with growth in ‘desk jobs’—the knowledge-based occupations whose work is most likely to take place in an office setting.” In this climate, the term ‘desk jobs’ can no longer be taken literally as modern employees are discovering all the alternative spaces an office has to offer.

In Seattle, Apple’s Headquarters gives its team access to an adjoining nature refuge. And in Silicon Valley, Facebook provides staff with “a winding walk through nine acres of greenery” on its office building’s roof, writes WIRED reporter Cade Metz. The incorporation of nature into the built environment is called “biophilic” design, and it’s becoming a mainstay of 2022 workplaces. Office furniture company Haiken says that “this is because plants, natural materials, and natural light have a positive effect on the physical and mental health of employees and their work performance.”

Internal staircases are another addition to the office that professionals can use to enhance their workday. Brokerage firm Vicus Partners writes that “just as offices have been incorporating greenery and natural airflow (open floor plans) into their office layouts, they are also doubling down on their ‘living space’ feel with elements like internal staircases.” For example, an architectural firm, called Henning Larsen, recently designed a nonprofit headquarters in Copenhagen that includes a large wooden staircase surrounded by an atrium. According to an article written by Dezeen journalist Jon Astbury, the firm’s associate design director Troels Dam Madsen said that “the stairs are a play on the classic stairwell of residential buildings, which is typically the place you meet your neighbor.” Homey amenities like these could be surprisingly perfect places for employees to burn the midnight oil, have impromptu chats with colleagues or brainstorm.