Colliers toronto office leasing market report 2014
Digital Bowers Digest 2Q2015
1. Metro Atlanta Office Market Analysis Vol. 26, No. 2
“Second quarter 2015
continues an ongoing
positive trend... our
seventeenth straight
quarter of positive
absorption.”
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
The Bowers Digest
Providing self generated and proprietary office market data since 1989
Real Estate Trends
Mid-Year 2015
Urban occupancy rate back near 85 percent
Fourteen straight quarters of increased rental rates
Urban
Suburban
I285/GA-400 leads all submarkets in vacant space
2. Second quarter 2015 continued a favorable trend of positive
absorption with 1,323,487 SF, the highest absorption since
2007. Four quarter cumulative absorption of 3,101,331 SF is
also the highest since 3rd quarter 2007. The Atlanta market for
2015 is doing extremely well and is anticipated to continue at a
robust pace with our favorable economy and strong job growth
which over the next 15 years is expected to add 2.5 million
people making Metropolitan Atlanta the fastest growing city
in the country. Vacancy rates with no new deliveries for 2015
are continuing to go down and are currently at 15.50% for all
submarkets. This is the lowest vacancy rate since 1st quarter 2008.
The leading submarkets in second quarter absorption are the
I-285/ GA-400 market at 508,537 SF, followed by I-75 / I-285
at 295,690SF, Peachtree Corners at 126,866, GA 400 North at
115,524 SF and Buckhead /Lenox at 83,968 SF. The submarkets
with the highest average rental rates are Buckhead /Lenox at
$29.26, Midtown at $25.53, the I-75 corridor at $24.63, I-285/GA-
400 at $23.32 and Downtown at $22.42. The submarkets with
the greatest amount of square footage available are the I-285/GA
400 with 3,106,250 SF followed by Downtown at 2,962,909 SF,
I-75/I-285 at 2,914,741 SF, Midtown at 2,395,013, and GA-400
North at 2,132,801 SF.
With only one building
under construction, a
growing economy, and
tenants expanding and
growing, as well as a
number of companies
relocating to Atlanta
to include: Mercedes-
Benz, Sage, Hexaware,
ScoutMob, Chime
Solutions, Cricket
Wireless, PulteGroup,
and Twitter, absorption
is expected to remain
strong and occupancy
levels are expected to
rise further.
Infrastructure:
There are a number of
significant infrastructural
improvements which are
eitherinprogressorinthe
planning stages. One of
the largest infrastructural
developments is the
I-75/I-285 interchange
and overpasses with
work being performed for the 2017 opening of the new Atlanta
Braves stadium at Circle 75. Other major infrastructural
improvements include the expansion of Hartsfield Jackson
International Airport to include a possible 6th runway as well
as a $400,000,000-$600,000,000 mixed-use development called
“Airport City,” which will include a four star hotel with 300-400
rooms, a service station, office and retail space, and possibly even
residential development.
The Atlanta Streetcar is up and operational and is serving
segments of our Central Business District, particularly visitors,
tourists, and others commuting from the Auburn Historic District
to Centennial Olympic Park. MARTA is in the discussion stage
for completing the North rail line to Alpharetta which would be
a major addition in providing rail service from the outer suburbs
to the urban core, Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown. With
Clayton County joining the MARTA system and the possibility
that Gwinnett County could be joining as well, additional rail
lines could be a strong possibility in the not too distant future.
The Atlanta BeltLine is continuing to expand its network
through developing the eastern line south of Inman Park
with this new addition serving the Candler Park/Grant Park
neighborhoods. Work is being performed on sections of the
Atlanta BeltLine westside as well. The Atlanta BeltLine
TWO
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
In Brief: The Atlanta Market
is clearly drawing significant development to our Intown
communities particularly from millennials and empty nesters
who are providing the majority of the population growth to
our city. There is a growing segment of our adult population
who are using alternative commuting methods other than the
automobile either due to cost, personal preferences, saving
time, and physical fitness considerations (walking or biking.)
The Atlanta Falcons stadium is well under construction and is
expected to open in 2017. The new Atlanta Braves stadium in
Cobb County is also expected to open in 2017 and is creating
a very exciting mixed use complex with a hotel, office
tower, significant retail and restaurants and even a music
concert venue as additional amenities to their development.
Intown development for GA State is continuing to include their
spectacular new law school building which will be opening this
summerandanewstudenthousingdevelopmentwithgroundfloor
retail under construction at the corner of John Wesley Dobbs and
Piedmont. There is another student housing development under
construction across the street from the Sweet Auburn Market
on Edgewood Avenue. Underground Atlanta is also expected to
close within the next sixty
days with plans for high-
rise residential, a full-
service upscale grocery
store, and additional
retail on this historic site.
Outlook:
The office market is
extremely active and
favorable. There is the
possibility we could meet
or even exceed absorption
for the first half of 2015
with some of the recent
announcements and large
users in the marketplace.
If this were to occur,
vacancy levels would
movedownapproximately
a full percentage point
to 14.5% vacancy, the
lowest vacancy since first
quarter 2003. There are
plans and discussions on
several office buildings
breaking ground possibly
this year to include an
office loft development
by Hines Properties at Atlantic Station, Riverwood 200, Two
Overton Park, and 4004 Perimeter Summit. There are also
discussions of a Cousins/Ackerman joint venture at Abernathy
and GA-400. Other new office developments include a new
NCR campus headquarters adjacent to Georgia Tech, as
well as a new Georgia Tech High Performance Computing
Center and office development at 4th and Spring Streets.
Assuming the economy doesn’t suffer any major issues and
there aren’t any major conflicts or world problems, the second
half 2015 outlook is likely more favorable than it has been since
the turn of the twenty-second century. The vast majority of the
proposed new office developments are going to take place along
the Urban corridor or developments either at or on I-285 and GA-
400 or at the I-75/I-285 intersection, as both of these suburban
submarkets are turning into denser submarkets with pedestrian
qualities and surrounding amenities similar to the urban core.
We wish everyone great success for the remainder of 2015 and
hope everyone’s business is dramatically improving with our
economicresurgenceandthetremendousgrowthofMetroAtlanta.
Market Overview
4. FOUR
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
Atlanta Market Trends By Quarter
Net Absorption
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
The Urban Corridor
The Urban Corridor, which consists of the Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead submarkets,
experienced 156,736 square feet of positive absorption for second quarter 2015, bringing the mid-
year absorption total to 300,835 square feet. These in-town numbers are an improvement from the
147,102 square feet of absorption the Urban Corridor experienced in through mid-year 2014, and this
marks the eighteenth consecutive quarter of positive absorption for the Urban Corridor. As a direct
result of the last four and half years of absorption, the vacancy rate has declined from 22.86 percent
to 15.46 percent, a change of 740 basis points. This positive absorption and increased occupancy
rates have led to an increase in rental rates along the Urban Corridor, which now average $25.67 per
square foot.
Buckhead experienced positive absorption of 83,968 square feet this quarter, bringing the mid-year
absorption total for the submarket to 212,773 square feet. This contributed to a continued rise in
occupancy, which is up to 87.70%, an increase of 170 basis points from mid-year 2014. Buckhead also
continues to experience increased average rental rates, up to $29.26 per square foot, an increase of 99
cents from last quarter and $2.36 year-over-year. Class “A” rental rates in Buckhead are continuing
to rise as well, reaching $31.48 per square foot, which is the second highest Class “A” rental rate in
Metro Atlanta behind the lone Class “A” property in the I-75 Corridor, The Forum.
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
Quarter
Total
Sq. Ft.
Vacant
Sq. Ft.
Vacancy
Rate
Delivered
Qtr:
Delivered
Ytd
4 Qtr
Total
Year
To Date Quarter
Average
Rental Rate
2Q2015
1Q2015
4Q2014
3Q2014
2Q2014
1Q2014
4Q2013
3Q2013
2Q2013
1Q2013
136,127,066
135,349,066
135,349,066
134,074,847
133,979,605
133,975,750
135,409,999
135,391,218
135,221,299
135,256,002
21,528,377
22,036,106
22,238,538
22,225,433
22,447,651
22,952,410
23,833,938
24,164,309
24,678,082
25,117,138
15.50%
16.28%
16.43%
16.58%
16.75%
17.13%
17.60%
17.85%
18.25%
18.57%
778,000
0
788,420
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
778,000
0
788,420
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3,101,331
2,289,620
2,158,762
1,842,460
1,558,762
1,454,501
1,897,546
1,303,584
1,003,090
1,466,308
1,522,757
202,243
2,158,762
1,144,954
827,494
318,880
1,897,546
1,278,394
594,702
190,349
1,323,487
202,243
1,261,114
317,460
508,614
318,880
619,152
683,692
404,353
190,349
$22.20
$21.87
$21.79
$21.70
$21.54
$21.67
$21.50
$21.35
$21.24
$21.14
4Q2012
3Q2012
2Q2012
1Q2012
4Q2011
3Q2011
2Q2011
1Q2011
4Q2010
3Q2010
2Q2010
1Q2010
135,465,599
135,701,093
135,574,050
135,385,715
135,384,825
135,402,440
135,402,440
135,402,440
135,357,440
135,402,440
135,402,440
135,402,440
25,309,557
25,362,693
25,618,848
26,295,493
26,686,726
27,224,130
27,521,660
27,791,873
27,549,065
27,408,480
27,420,793
26,917,016
18.68%
18.69%
18.90%
19.42%
19.71%
20.11%
20.33%
20.53%
20.35%
20.24%
20.25%
19.88%
(8,835)
127,043
188,335
890
(17,615)
0
0
0
0
0
0
1,640,626
307,433
316,268
189,225
890
(17,615)
0
0
0
1,640,626
1,640,626
1,640,626
1,640,626
1,742,054
2,229,071
2,120,886
1,479,655
844,724
184,350
(100,857)
(874,857)
(626,015)
(1,040,263)
(1,364,227)
(1,566,872)
1,742,054
1,714,273
1,331,075
466,095
844,724
324,935
(27,405)
(242,808)
(626,015)
(485,430)
(497,743)
6,034
25,190
383,198
864,980
466,095
519,789
297,530
270,213
(242,808)
(140,585)
12,313
(503,777)
6,034
$21.03
$20.91
$20.67
$20.61
$20.84
$20.89
$21.01
$21.02
$21.20
$21.26
$21.39
$21.44
133,761,814
133,838,047
25,282,424
24,803,824
18.90%
18.53%
(76,233)
1,295,143
1,518,719
1,594,952
(1,947,045)
(1,797,220)
(1,947,045)
(1,392,212)
(554,833)
(311,651)
$21.42
$21.56
4Q2009
3Q2009
5. FIVE
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
Notable Lease Transactions Signed
Office Space by Building Classification
Lessee Property Size (SF)
Spanx Buckhead Atlanta 124,998
Comcast 6200 The Corners Pkwy 87,776
Norfolk Southern Colony Square 81,075
RentPath Atlanta Plaza One 74,776
Veritiv 400 Northpark 68,315
Liberty Mutual Terraces at Suwanne Gateway 51,883
WorldPay Atlantic Station 50,428
Intercontinental Hotel Three Ravinia Drive 38,270
Gas South One Overton Park 27,008
FCCI Services, Inc. Huntcrest I 26,711
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
“Urban Corridor occupancy rates have jumped
2.01% from Mid-Year 2014”
Net Absorption
Total
Sq. Ft.
Vacant
Sq. Ft.
Vacancy
Rate
2nd
Quarter
4 Qtr
Total
Average
Rental Rate
Urban Corridor
Class A 30,670,658 3,823,812 12.47% 81,768 1,337,839 $28.41
Class B 14,053,183 3,084,154 21.95% 68,497 13,968 $21.39
Class C 2,443,239 813,033 33.28% -31,287 -28,837 $15.89
Total 47,167,080 7,720,999 15.46% 156,736 1,322,970 $25.67
Suburban
Class A 49,615,783 5,997,820 12.09% 1,219,866 1,688,461 $22.92
Class B 33,145,939 6,131,606 18.50% 122,813 123,015 $17.67
Class C 6,198,264 1,677,952 27.07% -175,928 -67,711 $14.33
Total 88,959,986 13,807,378 15.52% 1,166,751 1,743,765 $20.36
Total Market
Class A 80,286,441 9,821,632 12.23% 1,301,634 3,026,300 $25.02
Class B 47,199,122 9,215,760 19.53% 191,310 136,983 $18.78
Class C 8,641,503 2,490,985 28.83% -207,215 -96,548 $14.77
Total 136,127,066 21,528,377 15.50% 1,323,487 3,101,331 $22.20
The Midtown submarket continues to be attractive to businesses
lookingtomoveintotheUrbanCorridor:NCRCorp.hasannounced
plans to move their corporate headquarters to Technology Square,
which will bring close to 4,000 jobs to Midtown. Additionally,
Georgia Tech has announced plans to expand Technology Square
with a 750,000 square foot mixed-used development, including
a 600,000 square foot office building anchored by Georgia
Tech. The Midtown submarket experienced positive absorption
in the second quarter with 38,172 square feet of absorption.
Midtown’s year to date total is now at 149,264 square feet. In
the last year, the Midtown submarket has increased its occupancy
rate from 81.66 percent to 84.52 percent, a 2.86 percent increase.
The Downtown submarket experienced positive absorption of
34,596 square feet during second quarter 2015. We expect the
remainder of 2015 to bring positive absorption to Downtown,
as more businesses and individuals continue to move to this
submarket with better infrastructure, less congestion, favorable
pricing, closer proximity to the airport and the desirability of
the Atlanta Beltline. Downtown currently has an occupancy
rate of 81.49 percent, an increase of 1.43 percent from mid-
year 2014. The Downtown submarket’s rental rates have also
increased significantly since mid-year 2014, increasing $1.14
to $22.42 from $21.28. The Downtown submarket has the
second highest occupancy rate for Class “A” space in the Urban
Corridor, finishing the second quarter of 2015 at 86.74%, and
and the fourth highest Class “A” rental rate overall, at $25.69.
Numerous projects were completed Downtown in 2014, including
the SkyView Ferris Wheel, the Atlanta Streetcar, the National
Civil Rights Museum, and the new College Football Hall of
Fame. Several other projects under construction include the
new $1.4 billion Atlanta Falcons football stadium, the continued
expansion of Georgia State University, including the Petit
Science Center on Piedmont Avenue, and several residential and
mixed-use projects expected to break ground in the near term.
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
6. The Suburban Submarkets
At mid-year 2015, the suburban submarkets, which consist of the remaining
thirteen submarkets, have vastly outperformed their counterparts along the
Urban Corridor. Second quarter 2015 was highlighted by the opening of the
200,000 square feet Porsche Cars North American Facility in the Airport/South
submarket and the 578,000 square feet Cox Enterprise headquarters in the I-285/
GA-400 submarket; both facilities will be owner-occupied. These two deliveries
totaling 778,000 square feet contributed greatly to the 1,166,751 square feet of
positiveabsorptionexperiencedbythesuburbansubmarketsinthesecondquarter
of 2015 and brings the year to date absorption total for the suburban submarkets
to 1,221,922 square feet. This positive absorption has also contributed to the
suburban submarkets’increased occupancy rate, which stands at 84.48% at mid-
year 2015, an increase of 1.22% from mid-year 2014. In addition to improved
occupancy, the average rental rate has increased for fifteen straight quarters and
currently sits at $20.36 per square foot; 37 cents higher than at mid-year 2014.
In the suburban submarkets, the I-285/GA-400, I-75/I-285, Peachtree Corners,
and GA-400 North submarkets all experienced over 100,000 square feet of
absorption in the second quarter 2015 with 508,537 square feet, 295,690 square
feet, 126,866 square feet, and 115,524 square feet respectively. The Northeast
Expressway – South and Decatur submarkets both have occupancy rates over
90%, at 93.27% and 90.35% respectively. The I-75 Corridor has the third highest
occupancy rate at 89.07%, an increase of 7.28 percent from mid-year 2014.
Change from Mid-Year 2014: Increase Decrease No Change
Total Market
Urban
Total
Sq. Ft.
Vacant
Sq. Ft.
Occupancy
Rate
Absorption
This Qtr
Absorption
YTD
Average
Rental Rate
Downtown
Midtown
Buckhead/Lenox
16,338,416
15,475,997
15,352,667
3,437,489
2,395,013
1,888,497
81.49%
84.52%
87.70%
34,596
38,172
83,968
(61,202)
149,264
212,773
$22.42
$25.53
$29.26
Urban Totals 47,167,080 7,720,999 84.54% 156,736 300,835 $25.67
Suburban
Airport/South
Decatur
GA-400 North
I-20W/Greenbriar
3,246,939
1,154,049
15,945,261
313,609
976,692
111,396
2,132,801
92,341
69.92%
90.35%
86.62%
70.56%
23,197
(3,089)
115,524
1,321
30,306
(9,464)
185,836
3,636
$16.66
$20.78
$20.20
$13.74
I-285/GA-400
I-285/I-85/Northlake
I-285E/Stone Mtn
I-75 Corridor
23,283,938
4,298,545
271,007
1,127,333
3,106,250
876,857
78,169
123,271
86.66%
79.60%
71.16%
89.07%
508,537
23,732
4,530
25,222
483,493
(1,753)
4,530
87,370
$23.32
$17.14
$12.27
$24.63
I-75/I-285
I-75N/Marietta/JF
NE Expressway-North
NE Expressway-South
Peachtree Corners
18,587,264
3,158,977
4,934,213
4,677,125
7,961,726
2,914,741
480,815
1,117,850
314,788
1,481,407
84.32%
84.78%
77.34%
93.27%
81.39%
295,690
23,193
(44,857)
66,885
126,866
204,727
75,774
47,962
54,536
54,969
$21.02
$19.06
$18.06
$18.76
$16.50
Suburban Totals 88,959,986 13,807,378 84.48% 1,166,751 1,221,922 $20.36
Total/W. Averages 136,127,066 21,528,377 84.50% 1,323,487 1,522,757 $22.20
Existing Space By Class
Class C:
8,113,954
SIX
Atlanta Office Market: Comparison by SubMarkets
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
7. The I-75 Corridor has the highest average rental rates among the suburban submarkets, at $24.63 per square foot, followed by the I-285/GA-
400 submarket at $23.32 per square foot and the I-75/I-285 submarket at $21.02 per square foot. The Decatur and GA-400 North submarkets
also have average rental rates above $20 per square foot, at $20.78 and $20.20, respectively. The I-285/GA-400 submarket, which is the largest
Atlanta submarket with over 23.2 million square feet of existing office space, has been one of the most consistent top performers over the past
three and a half years. With absorption of 483,493 square feet this year, this submarket’s occupancy rate has increased to 86.66 percent from
79.22 percent just fourteen quarters ago. Companies such as State Farm have contributed greatly to these numbers and helped push up the
average rental rate to $23.32 per square foot, which is the fourth highest rental rate behind only Midtown, Buckhead, and the I-75 Corridor.
Overall Market
Overall, theAtlanta office market posted 1,323,487 square feet of positive absorption for second quarter 2015, bringing the mid-year absorption
total to 1,522,757 square feet. These absorption numbers increased the overall occupancy rate to 84.50 percent with the urban and suburban
submarket occupancy rates at 84.54 percent and 84.48 percent, respectively. This is the highest occupancy rate Atlanta has seen in over five
years. The average rental rate for mid-year 2015 is $22.20 per square foot, which is the highest overall rate we have experienced since we began
tracking the Atlanta office market in 1989. The Class “A” occupancy rate is currently 87.91 percent, which is 370 basis points better than the
overall average and at a level we haven’t seen since well before the Great Recession. This statistic supports one of the major office trends in
Atlanta, with companies upgrading to better space with more amenities while the rental rates are still favorable. As the Atlanta office market
continues its recovery, we anticipate activity to pick up in the latter half of 2015, and we anticipate greater office market improvements in both
rental rates and occupancy for the remainder of 2015 and beyond thanks to an improving economy, continued job growth, and an abundance of
large corporate relocations to metropolitan Atlanta.
“...we anticipate activity to pick up in latter half of 2015..”
Class A Class B Class C
Vacant
Sq. Ft.
Occupancy
Rate
Average
Rental Rate
Vacant
Sq. Ft.
Occupancy
Rate
Average
Rental Rate
Vacant
Sq. Ft.
Occupancy
Rate
Average
Rental Rate
1,141,749
1,590,598
1,091,465
86.74%
86.09%
89.73%
$25.69
$27.61
$31.48
1,629,161
657,961
797,032
73.57%
80.56%
82.31%
$19.85
$20.15
$24.42
155,998
146,454
0
84.98%
77.64%
100.00%
$14.59
$17.15
$21.31
3,823,812 87.53% $28.41 3,084,154 78.05% $21.39 784,196 67.90% $16.25
150,043
23,930
1,435,691
-
86.18%
94.09%
87.98%
-
$19.29
$23.57
$21.87
-
344,818
87,466
697,110
5,512
73.03%
88.32%
82.44%
87.90%
$16.41
$19.27
$15.23
$22.60
481,831
-
-
86,829
45.41%
-
100.00%
67.61%
$13.80
-
$16.50
$12.24
1,367,738
32,143
30,075
53,424
91.33%
93.92%
45.00%
74.80%
$25.02
$21.06
$14.50
$32.00
1,393,401
579,886
-
58,703
78.22%
71.19%
100.00%
93.01%
$20.80
$17.08
$12.00
$23.68
345,111
264,828
48,094
11,144
68.98%
84.93%
69.53%
85.20%
$13.78
$16.03
$11.60
$14.50
1,637,691
186,889
738,128
14,080
327,988
86.28%
88.05%
77.55%
97.03%
86.00%
$23.36
$20.89
$19.59
$20.65
$19.70
1,160,678
195,436
379,213
300,708
928,675
81.17%
84.84%
76.51%
91.96%
81.38%
$17.06
$18.06
$14.98
$18.86
$15.55
116,372
98,490
509
0
224,744
75.93%
67.89%
98.40%
100.00%
64.46%
$13.69
$13.93
$16.00
$15.99
$12.17
5,997,820 87.91% $22.92 6,131,606 81.50% $17.67 1,677,952 72.93% $14.33
9,821,632 87.77% $25.02 9,215,760 80.47% $18.78 2,490,985 71.17% $14.78
SEVEN
RICHARD BOWERS & CO.
