Corporate Relocations Drive Office Demand in Collin County

Office demand is climbing in Collin County, north of Dallas, as high-profile relocations and large master-planned projects reshape the local market. Speakers at a Bisnow State of the Market event on Oct. 15 in McKinney said employers are again willing to sign longer-term leases, but they want workplaces that give staff a reason to come back.

The Fields development in Frisco is planned to add about 11 million square feet of build-to-suit office space, developed in partnership with Karahan and KDC. Plano's Stars district at The Shops at Willow Bend Mall would add up to 2 million square feet of Class-A office. AT&T's planned 2.3 million square-foot Plano campus is expected to shorten commutes for many of its DFW staff.

Panelists said companies are moving closer to where their workers live, and that local officials' responsiveness and infrastructure investment will influence which suburbs win new headquarters. Available office space is being absorbed quickly, and much of the new supply is years from delivery.

For developers and lenders, near-term Class-A leasing opportunities in Collin County are limited, so firms seeking quick occupancy may face tight options.