Executive Suites Opening In Chicago Loop

A new business center will be opening in Chicago. Regus has heard those who had been asking for an office space in the South Loop, near the Chicago Board of Trade and the courts in Jackson Blvd. The center at 111 W. Jackson Blvd will open in August 2013. 

Despite being a city with many different offices available throughout the loop, there was a gap in spaces towards the south area of Chicago Loop, but thankfully, the executive suite provider has realized this opportunity and they are now offering a new option for those who want to be close to the Jackson Blue Station.

This new space is between Union Station and Millennium Park and is close to I-290, I-90 and I-94, making it an easy destination regardless what type of transportation you are using. 

The space will be at the 17th floor of this 24 story building, nearly 100 offices will be available, including private individual offices, workstations, mini-suites and team rooms that can hold large groups. 

You will find plenty of options to grab a bite, whether you’re on a rush you can go to Subway which is a block away or if you’re vegan you shouldn’t miss Native Foods Café. 

Occupation at the building is close to 72% and ownership has spent about $25 million to fix up the 51-year-old building, including adding a fitness center and a roof deck.

If you’re interested in one of these offices, give us a call at (866) 354-5478, pre-leasing is already available and you will not only be able to choose your office, but you will have the exclusivity of being the first in that office.

Top Talents May Just Be a Click Away

Hiring new talent

During a recent chat with a colleague, we spoke about the difficulties that some companies face while searching for the right candidate for certain job positions. 

While some sources bring a large amount of unqualified people, they usually are very inexpensive, making it a great benefit for small companies. 

Larger companies prefer to outsource the process to specialized head hunters, and although there will be some costs involved; the quality of the candidates tends to be better. 

With the increased use of technology and social networks, hiring has evolved and candidates may be a click away, but besides traditional sources like career sites, universities or head-hunters, are we actually taking advantage of technology to find new talent?

• Encourage your staff: Start your search by asking your staff to share the job opening with their friends. Not only will you be reaching a trusted group of people, but you will motivate your team. 

• Twitter and Facebook: Social media has proven to be one of the most powerful tools to share information among hundreds or thousands of people. Any big news comes first through social networks rather than newspapers or TV channels. Include hashtags like #hiring or #jobposting to get retweets and reach a broader audience .

• LinkedIn: Niche industries like the executive suites industry are made of a rather small group of people who know each other and have large professional networks. Posting a job in Linkedin will not only be seen by your colleagues and friends, but it will also be targeted at qualified professionals who might be enticed to apply, even if they are not currently looking. The site suggests jobs similar to your current experience, which makes it a very efficient tool for candidates, head-hunters and human resource departments. Posting the job in specific groups like “Advertising professionals” will also bring great results. 

• Facebook Ads: It’s not the most successful tool as it is not as targeted as LinkedIn and will not bring the same quantity as career sites, but if you are targeting generation Y, it will probably be the best place to find them and get their attention. 

Attracting the best talent you can find is only the first part, the biggest challenge your company will face will be to retain that talent. But while you find the new employee that will take your company to an all new level, we’d like to hear which has been the most successful tool for your company. 

And once you find the right person, don’t forget to call OfficeList, as you will probably need to move to a bigger office space.

Be Happy, Work Close To a Park

Central Park, NY

Before you moved to your current office, were you thinking how far it was from a park? Probably not, but next time you move, you may want to keep that in mind. 

A recent study made to 12,000 people in the UK by the University of Essex, revealed that people who live near greener areas were consistently more satisfied, and experienced less anxiety.

This not only applies to where we live, but also to where we work. According to the author of the research, Mat White, “living near a green space has a third of the positive mental effect as getting married, and a tenth of the impact of getting a job when you don’t have one”. 

Additional research suggests that being close to nature can enhance recovery from surgeries, improve immune system functioning, give greater mental health overall and help diabetics achieve healthier blood glucose levels.

Given it has such a positive effect; we decided to search for a list of the best parks in America, we’ve made a list of the top 10 parks where people check-in through Foursquare.

10. National Mall, Washington DC

9. Mission Dolores, San Francisco

8. Boston Common, Boston

7. Millennium Park, Chicago (see: offices near Millennium Park)

6. Washington Square Park, New York

5. Madison Square Park, New York

4. High Line Park, New York

3. Bryant Park, New York 

2. Union Square Park, New York (see: offices near Union Square Park)

1. Central Park, New York.

New York is the big winner with 6 out of 10 parks from the list. If you’re looking for an office with great views of a park in your city, give us a call at (866) 354-5478 and one of our local experts will help you find an office, we have executive office rentals nationwide.

Do you know any other great parks we might have missed?

Send us your comments and share with us which parks you like the most in your city. 

Yahoo is Moving to Times Square!

Marissa Mayer –Yahoo’s CEO- has been surprising everyone with important decisions.

First she took the polemic decision of telling all of Yahoo’s members to work from the actual office, ending the remote-working era for the company.

This week the company made two announcements: they would buy Tumblr for $1.1 billion, and the other news was they would be unifying all their New York team in one office in Times Square. 

Before bringing all their team together under one roof, their 500 staff members were divided in 3 buildings in Manhattan: 1065 Avenue of the Americas (at 40th Street), 1540 Broadway (at 45th Street) and 11 West 19th Street.

Yahoo’s New York office lease has been signed at the former home of The New York Times on 43^rd street, the company will take the 9^th through the 12^th floor of the building and is talking to city officials to have a large illuminated sign with its name at the top of the building. This new space will be renovated following other tech companies that include open spaces, outdoor terraces, free food cafeterias, game and relaxing areas; these type of amenities have also become a reason to attract new talent. 

Current employees of Tumblr will remain at their offices close to Madison Square Park (at 35 East 21st Street).

This move not only represents Yahoo’s growth, but also shows how new technology is replacing traditional media like newspapers. Just as some years ago financial companies took over downtown, today companies such as Microsoft, Facebook and Google are taking over areas like Chelsea and Times Squares.

Want to be Yahoo’s neighbor? Give us a call at (866) 354-5478 and we’ll help you find the closest office. 

Tomorrow is Bike To Work Day!

What started as a European celebration to promote healthy living and Eco-friendly transportation, has become an event that has spread among many cities in the US. “Bike to Work Week” is celebrated the second week of May, this year it started May 13th ending May17th, the last day of the week is called “Bike to Work Day”. 

For those who live in secluded areas and need to make a long commute, we understand it may be difficult to join the two-wheel celebration. However the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey shows that 25 percent of all trips are made within a mile from home, 40 percent of all trips are within two miles from home, and 50 percent of the working population commutes five miles or less to work. 

But it’s not only how close we live, it’s also all the benefits: You will reduce emissions; you will save time as bicycles have proven to be 50% faster than cars in rush hour, an average person loses 13 pounds a year while riding to work so you’ll be looking even better and you’ll also save some money. 

For tomorrow there will be no excuse not to bike to work, according to a study made by biking map service BikeScore in U.S, these are the top 10 most bikeable cities, based on 4 elements: the availability of infrastructure (like bike lanes), hilliness, route, and the level of commuting. 

10. Chicago 

9. New York 

8. Tucson 

7. Seattle 

6. Washington, DC 

5. Boston 

4. Philadelphia 

3. Denver 

2. San Francisco 

1. Portland 

If you’re thinking you’re not in shape or you’re afraid of how challenging it may be to get to your office in San Francisco in a bicycle due to its hilliness, think about how flat the financial area is and with the great infrastructure it offers, you will be able to make it. 

If what’s holding you back is the weather, check a weather forecast for your city and be prepared, whether it’s sunny or rainy you can still make it a great journey. 

We’d love to hear about your experience, you can share it through OfficeList's facebook page or OfficeList's twitter account.

Top Cities With The Worst Traffic in The US

Photo by Howard Schnapp 

If you’re always complaining about the traffic when going to your office in Los Angeles and thinking how much time you’re losing which could be spent with your family, practicing your favorite hobby or simply sleeping, maybe you're right. INRIX, the traffic information group has released the top 10 cities where traffic caused an average American to lose 38 hours a year sitting in traffic in 2012. But at the 10 cities below, the average time spent in traffic was 42 hours a year! 

10. Boston 

9. Washington DC 

8. Seattle 

7. San Jose 

6. Bridgeport, CT 

5. New York 

4. Austin 

3. San Francisco 

2. Honolulu 

1. Los Angeles 

What should be an eight minute drive in Los Angeles could easily become a 26 minute drive in peak hours. Why? The study takes into account elements such as population density, road segments and travel times. 

Cities like New York and Washington DC have the longest commutes in the country, with 34 minutes. The study shows that cities that are densely populated have the worst traffic. 

Another reason is the amount of people who drive to work is still somewhat high, while New York has one of the lowest percentage, only 56% of the population drive to work, cities like Boston, Washington DC and San Francisco’s are above 70%. 

Public transportation has proved to decrease commuting times in some degree, but in a city like New York where 31% of commuters use public transportation, alternative methods like a bicycle can be tested to try and save some minutes. 

If you’re tired of long commutes and are considering renting an office closer to home, give us a call at (866) 354-5478 and we’ll help you find a space that allows you to spend more time with your family, not in a traffic jam.

OfficeList Turns 9, Happy Anniversary!

What started as a creative idea developed by two friends has become one of the top referral sources for the executive suite industry in North America. 

But beyond the business itself, OfficeList has become a big family for those who work here, we have become close friends with our fellow providers and business allies for our dear clients. 

We could write hundreds of memorable stories that we’ve lived in these 9 years, but instead we prefer to let this Infographic tell something about our story.  

A big thank you to all our friends who have been part of this wonderful dream!

OfficeList 9th Anniversary - An infographic by the team at OfficeList

If you liked our infographic and would like to share it, copy/paste the code below to embed it in your site 

<img src="http://www.officelist.com/9YearAnniversaryFinal.jpg" width="540"> <p> OfficeList 9th Anniversary - An infographic by the team at <a href="www.officelist.com">OfficeList</a></p>

Las Vegas: An Oasis For Business

Las Vegas Photo by Brendel 

When talking about Las Vegas, most people might think about parties, casinos, fun or corporate congresses. But behind all the fun, there is not only an enormous entertainment industry but also thousands of other companies that manufacture and provide products & services. 

The most recent report released by Cushman and Wakefield about Las Vegas commercial real estate for the first quarter of 2013 reveals the city’s dramatic increase in leasing is attracting investors. 

"The Las Vegas area, particularly Downtown, is witnessing a major transformation because of individual investment and new businesses, many of which are from out of state investing in the area" said Ed Turpin, Managing Director for the Cushman & Wakefield 

The office market saw vacancy rates decrease by 4%, reaching the 20% mark. Downtown Las Vegas offices have the lowest vacancy rate (7.1%) opposed to other suburban areas. 

The Industry market saw an amazing increase of 228% compared to the same period in 2012. Although this represents mainly warehouses and manufacturing spaces, it does reflect the positive situation that companies are living in the gambling capital of the world. 

The retail market also contributed and also showed a decrease in vacancy rates where leasing activity was 461,003 square feet, representing a 48.9% increase over the first quarter of last year. 

It’s not only real estate, the city is enjoying one of its best moments since the downturn, as major hotels like MGM, Palazzo and Venetian also revealed their financial results showing increases in occupancy and revenues for the first quarter of the year. 

Colliers report of the quarter give us more details confirming the positive results in the city’s economy, Las Vegas has decreased its unemployment rate from 12.5% to 10.2% and construction has increased bringing new completions to 129,000 square feet, 42% of those being office space. 

If your company doesn’t have a presence in the city yet, give us a call and we’ll help you find an office in Las Vegas that will help your business grow or call OfficeList at (866) 354-5478.

Miami's Real Estate Comeback!

Photo taken by Marc Averette

In 2008, when the recession and real estate downturn hit the country, new constructions were paused, prices went down and clients were few. 

It’s been a long way since then, but it looks like Miami has not only recovered but will return even stronger. 

Past February, Miami was ranked as the second city for foreign consumers shopping for U.S properties on Realtor.com. Positive economic conditions in many Latin-American countries have given the opportunity for wealthy families to relocate or grow their companies and establish a US presence in Miami. 

Back in 2007, Miami’s financial district reached its peak when two-building Courvoisier Centre on Brickell Key sold for $150 million, or about $450 per square foot. Since then, most activity took place in Downtown and the market was not very active. 

However last month there was a dramatic change as two office buildings changed hands for a combined $254 million. One of the transactions was for $184 million, the sale of the Sabadell Financial center on 10thApril. The other one was the sale of Brickell Bayview center for $70 million. 

These transactions support last week’s news about a new luxury condominium that will be built. It will become the tallest residential building in Miami and will be located in 1451 Brickell; it will rise 750 feet -or 60 stories- and will include 250 units. 

Executive offices are joining the party as well. Regus has recently opened its newest offices at the Courvoisier Centre on Brickell Key, an exclusive gated island community. This opening is a strong vote of confidence to the city and the Brickell area. 

Experts agree these are not separate cases, they believe this will be the new tendency as activity is being seen in commercial, residential and rentals across the city. 

Don’t let your friends brag about their office views, give us a call and we’ll find you an office with incredible views of Miami. Visit OfficeList or call us at (866) 354-5478.

The Friendliest Cities to Start a Business

Starting a business is no easy task. Overcoming all the difficulties, formalizing everything and getting up on your feet not only needs courage but you need time and patience.

Most businessmen just go out and start looking for an office, but wait a minute! Would you consider moving if another city gave you more benefits to create your company there? 

Well, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation released their 2013 survey about U.S Small Business Friendliness. In 2012 they started the survey and this is the first year we are able to compare any variations. 

With opinions from 7,000 business owners among the country, they evaluated aspects such as ease of starting a business, ease of hiring, regulations, health & safety, tax code, licensing, training & networking programs and zoning. One of the surprises from the study was that business owners were more concerned with licensing requirements than with taxes; in fact they were relatively unconcerned with tax rates as they felt they pay the right share of taxes. 

Best cities for business: 

• San Antonio: The city has kept it’s A+ grade from last year receiving good scores in almost all categories, starting a business could be improved as it scored a B. 

• Austin: An outstanding score, receiving A in most of the categories, zoning could improve as it received a B+, but this could be paradise for entrepreneurs. 

• Houston: Licensing and Networking activities could improve, but businessmen gave the city an A qualification in most categories. 

• Colorado Springs: If training and networking options are improved, next year this city could reach the perfect mark. 

Worst cities for business: 

• San Diego: Bureaucracy, zoning and environment regulations earned the city an F. 

• Cincinnati: Training options received the lowest score while zoning received the highest with a B. 

• Newark: Although training and networking options are very good, all the other factors received an F. 

• Sacramento: Starting a business didn’t seem to be a problem, but hiring, regulations and zoning gave a hard time to entrepreneurs in Sacramento. 

Successful companies are found in every city, despite regulations and challenges. Wherever you decide to start your business, OfficeList will be there to back you up and help you find the best space to work from.