In another blow to the office industry, co-working giant WeWork finally bowed to the inevitable after a total of $16 billion in losses and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Newark last night. This was a case that had its origins well before the pandemic, but the trend to remote work hastened WeWork’s fall. The […]
With all the controversial things that Elon Musk says, even our well-informed readers may not have seen his interesting comment in his recent CNBC interview that employees going to the office is a “moral issue”. In the interview, Mr. Musk opined that “I kind of think that the whole notion of work from home is […]
There has been a lot going on lately, so it is possible that even our well-informed readers missed the interesting news that in a special referendum in Paris, local citizens voted overwhelmingly to ban rented e-scooters by 89-11%. Apparently, the chaos and accidents caused by these motorized menaces was too much for Parisian pedestrians to […]
There have been several excellent articles recently about whether the glass representing the future of New York and urban America is half empty or half full. We don’t yet know in a metaphorical sense. However, we do know that offices are literally half full with 49.6% employee attendance in New York City and 49.0% nationwide. […]
As recently reported, a new cutting-edge thinking tank called the 5Boro Institute was recently formed by civic and business leaders including former Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch. The group has close ties to Mayor Adams, and its purpose is to promote new and actionable ideas to improve the city by advancing responsible, equitable and creative solutions […]
We have been tracking a fascinating trend in the legal industry in which their employees are returning to the office at substantially higher rates than other businesses. According to the widely-followed Kastle Systems back-to-work barometer, employees at law firms nationwide have approximately 80% average occupancy office attendance as opposed to 45% for all industries, a […]
While we often comment on broader trends in real estate and the NYC economy, it is also important to go back to basics from time to time. As everyone is aware, the effects of inflation are being felt in both our business and consumer lives. Commercial real estate is no exception due to increased […]
Some much-needed time off over the holidays has allowed me to reflect on the tumultuous events of the past year, and more specifically on the impact of the pandemic on real estate and the office. In a paradoxical way, the Omicron surge has been the last straw. Even some people who have […]
How has the pandemic affected the different sectors of the NYC office market? As you may note from the below grid, there is a widening gulf between the top-class A buildings and lesser performing class B buildings.
The class […]
Our eagle-eyed readers may have taken note of recent press reports of the memo issued by Eric Grossman, chief legal officer of Morgan Stanley directing that its outside law firms representing the company return to the office to improve client service. According to dispatches, the memo suggested that firms continuing to work […]
