It’s official. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, slightly more than half of Dallas-Fort Worth office workers are back in their buildings.
With last year’s onset of the COVID-19, companies in North Texas and across the U.S. sent millions of employees to work from home, vacating their offices.
At the low point — back in May 2020 — only about 20% of D-FW office buildings were active with tenants, according to research from Virginia-based Kastle Systems, which monitors mechanical systems in buildings in 47 states.
As of June 30, 50.1% of D-FW office buildings were back online with workers, Kastle Systems reports.
Only the Austin area, with a 51.3% occupancy, has more workers back in the office.
Nationwide, just fewer than 33% of buildings are staffed with workers.
Some Dallas building operators say they are seeing even higher occupancies.
“The Crescent is now almost 80% occupied,” said John Zogg, managing director with Crescent Real Estate. “More came back after July 4th.
“After Labor Day, we should be close to normal across most of (Crescent Real Estate’s office building) portfolio.”
Even with the rollout of the coronavirus vaccines, less than a quarter of workers are back in offices in markets including San Francisco, San Jose and New York City, Kastle Systems says.
Major employers are recalling office employees gradually this summer and expect to have most of their people back in the buildings in September.
“We are seeing between 40% and 50%,” Cushman & Wakefield executive managing director Matt Schendle said. “I suspect that will pick up after the summer and kids are back in school.”
