Kansas City Area Commercial Real Estate Market Adjusts to the Rise of Hybrid Working

The commercial real estate industry continues to pivot as the American workforce is split on the decision about how to best come back to work. According to Morning Consult, 2 out of 3 employees say they are comfortable with coming back into the office while at the same time, nearly 3 out of 4 say they still enjoy working remotely.

Commercial Real Estate firms across the country have been eager to have companies bring their employees back to the office, but many companies are hesitant. The pause stems from continued concern about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the cost-benefit analysis of keeping their employees at home, and taking stock of their employees’ new wants and needs. All indicators point to a common conclusion – hybrid work is here to stay. 

With so many employees across the country in search of hybrid work models, companies are turning to new space to accommodate those changes. Location is no longer the biggest driver of office choice. Companies are putting more value on quality of space, technology to help them stay a step ahead of their competitors, and robust amenities to engage their employees.

The Midwest’s premier live-work-play destination, Aspiria, in Overland Park, Kansas, is a prime example of commercial real estate adding levels of flexibility to accommodate the rapidly growing hybrid workspace. Owned and operated by value-add commercial real estate firm Occidental Management, headquartered out of Wichita, Kansas, Aspiria offers unprecedented square footage configurations that come with a robust set of onsite amenities, including a 68,000 square foot, three-story fitness center, a wide variety of dining options and the ability to tap into one of the most robust and secure data networks in the country. 

President of Occidental Management Chad Stafford says commercial real estate is in for a dramatic change. 

“This is the most significant shift in how people work since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020,” Stafford said. “We’ve all been in a state of limbo around remote work until now. We are seeing more and more of our tenants coming to us with requests about how to make their space work better for their employees.”

At the nearly 4 million square feet Aspiria campus, companies like T-Mobile, Yellow Corp., Trevipay, A Place for Mom, and Inside Response have dramatically changed the look and feel of their office. “They’ve taken the opportunity to adjust how their space worked for them,” Stafford said. “More room for community gathering and collaboration areas and space to be creative are just the beginning of what employees will be looking for in the future.” 

Aspiria has been accommodating these office transformations in a way that is changing their outlook on the future of class A office space. 

“We consistently hear from our tenants that the flexibility they have at Aspiria is second to none,” Stafford said. “That flexibility is a combination of our amenities on campus where we offer free on-site gym memberships, expanded dining options, a health clinic, electric bicycles, app-based way finding, outdoor meeting areas, conference centers, and advanced technology across the campus.”

As companies search for their best work model to attract and retain talented employees, available amenities and flexible office space are the most significant drivers of leasing space. Aspiria is a unique commercial property located at the country’s intersection of air, ground and intermodal hubs that delivers real estate’s most critical component, location, and companies’ most desired attribute, incentivizing workspaces for top talent. 

With its flexible construction options, engaging amenities, advanced technology and security capabilities, and location in one of the Midwest’s most popular communities, Aspiria is the model for the adapting commercial real estate space of tomorrow. Space is available now. Visit AspiriaKC.com for more details. 

Publication: Heartland Real Estate Business