CREJ - Office Properties Quarterly - September 2017
With the increase of co-working and telecommuting vastly changing the way people work, business owners are seeking innovative work environments that incorporate the comforts of home and an improved lifestyle into their design. Several new office concepts are taking shape in the Denver area that are considering how to improve health and wellness and make the workplace a home away from home. This new trend is called “resi-mercial,” a term coined to describe this blending of residential and commercial spaces in the workplace. Proponents of the “resi-mercial” trend believe creating a warmer and more welcoming setting goes a long way toward attracting and retaining workers, as well as increasing productivity and innovation. Given Denver’s tight labor market, this can make all the difference for employers. According to experts, there are a few reasons why the comforts of home are infiltrating office spaces. First, with more people using laptops instead of desktop computers, they are no longer tethered to a desk. Second, this more comfortable work space appeals to younger employees, an important consideration for companies in competition to attract and retain skilled workers. And third, a mix of collaborative work spaces, desks and couches makes it easier to do different types of work, from collaborative brainstorming sessions to heads-down work to conference calls. To this end, we are introducing Catalyst, a premier office and retail concept in Denver’s River North district designed with the feel of a luxury apartment in mind. On pace to open its doors May 1, the project will be home to a vibrant mix of world-class companies of different sizes and from different sectors – from small startups to global powerhouses – who are all driven to grow, innovate and do great things. Throughout seven floors, tenants will enjoy an inviting, collaborative work space that feels more like a luxury apartment than an office building. Taking cues from other innovative offices throughout the country, the team created a vision that incorporated a variety of thoughtful features into the design to create a luxury apartment feel. The key is offering myriad flexible, collaborative work spaces combined with activated public spaces that are vibrant and relaxed. The project will feature a seventh-floor community room and deck amenity, which encourages community gathering. The goal is to influence productivity and sociability for all tenants. Another new development in Denver that is keeping this in mind is 1144 Fifteenth Street, which has a spacious lounge that overlooks the lobby and provides an informal meeting place and relaxation area. Another important feature of this trend is creating an activated lobby that invites people to network both during and after traditional business hours and creates a more casual vibe for tenants to connect with one another. Similar to an urban market, like Stanley Marketplace or The Source where people go to work, shop, eat and connect, Catalyst recently announced that Logan House Coffee will set up shop in the lobby. The café will be a central gathering place for the building – not only serving food and coffee throughout the day, but also beer and wine on tap as well as specialty cocktails starting in the late afternoon to ensure round-the-clock activity and constant networking opportunities. Other flex spaces include a rooftop deck, executive board and living rooms, a 3,000-square-foot community kitchen and the Catalyst Event Center, designed to accommodate 250 persons. It also will offer apartment-like technology features throughout the building that mimic life in an apartment, including the Luxer One locker package delivery system and a high-tech parking garage. Health and wellness is no longer just something people worry about after hours. New innovations in work spaces abound and an emphasis on WELL Building Standard practices is largely changing the way developers are approaching the design of their buildings. The philosophy behind WELL Building is to elevate human health and comfort to the forefront of building practices and reinvent buildings that are not only better for the planet, but also better for people. Many developers are focusing more on achieving WELL Building Standard certification than LEED certification, despite their numerous similarities. This project has been designed to meet the WELL Building Standard and is on track to be the only core-and-shell WELL certified office building in Colorado. The seven areas of focus include air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. To meet the rigorous requirements of WELL Building Standard, Catalyst considered each category in its design, and – similar to a luxury apartment – implemented a variety of community-focused amenities strategically positioned throughout its seven floors to help encourage wellness, exercise and overall mental clarity. For example, in addition to open, natural floors with significant light, the project will have a state-of-the-art fitness center, 75 bike storage spaces, and a monumental staircase for floors one to four to help promote the use of stairs instead of the elevator. This collective approach to design will elevate the daily work experience for the tenants and enable a highly productive and satisfying antidote to the daily grind.