Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 22, 2016 – CBRE announced today its plans to move 192 local employees to new offices at LaSalle Plaza in Downtown Minneapolis.
The new space is part of CBRE’s global “Workplace360” initiative, the company’s leading-edge approach to workplace strategy designed to promote flexibility, mobility and productivity through technology-enabled,100 percent-free address and paperless offices
CBRE currently has offices in the Young Quinlan Building at 81 S. Ninth St. in downtown Minneapolis and at Two MarketPointe, 4400 W. 78th St. in Bloomington, which will consolidate to form a new office in a new location.
CBRE will occupy approximately 34,000 square feet on the 19th and 20th floors of LaSalle Plaza, at 800 LaSalle Ave. in Minneapolis, beginning July 2016. CBRE and building owners, affiliates of Zeller Realty Group and Invesco Real Estate, finalized the lease this week.
“Our Minneapolis team is excited to join the more than two dozen CBRE offices around the globe that have successfully implemented our new workplace strategy, for which employee feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Managing Director Blake Hastings.
A year after CBRE employees in Los Angeles made the switch to the Workplace360 environment, more than 90 percent of those surveyed said they would not return to a traditional office environment.
Consolidating all employees at LaSalle Plaza creates an opportunity to move away from the traditional office and demonstrate a leading-edge workspace.
“Regardless of industry or geography, the very nature of the workplace is changing,” Hastings said. “Our new Workplace360 environment will speak to that in a very real way — both for our own employees and for our clients who are considering transforming their own space.”
Workplace360 is a paperless and “free address” office environment where employees have the flexibility to choose from different work spaces to meet their daily needs. CBRE’s own Workplace Strategy team is working with clients across the globe to reimagine the working environment and develop new office solutions.
“I am very excited to be welcoming CBRE and its talented workforce to downtown Minneapolis,” said Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges. “CBRE’s global leadership in workplace innovation will not only be an asset to our downtown economy, but will help in Minneapolis’ transformation into a leading 21st century city.”
Global design firm, Gensler, which has designed other Workplace360 offices for CBRE, will design the Minneapolis space. Employees will provide input for the design and functionality of the new office.
Like other companies relocating and expanding in the central business district of Minneapolis, CBRE understands the value of the dynamic urban core for its employees and clients.
“It was the right time to consolidate our two offices into one central, CBD location for a variety of reasons,” Hastings said. “Most importantly: striving for increased collaboration amongst our team, a location with access to mass transit, a more diverse talent pool, and having our entire team under one roof, all of which will lead to better outcomes for our clients.”
“As we’ve continued to focus on adding office space and resulting jobs through the 2025 Plan, CBRE has been influential in helping secure businesses in the downtown area,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District.
“Having CBRE’s full team here not only brings them closer to the action, but it continues to emphasize downtown Minneapolis is where businesses can enjoy top-notch features that impact job attraction and retention — a dynamic work environment, entertainment, dining, transportation options and residency options that are all centrally-located,” Cramer said.
CBRE plans to maintain a southwest metro presence at its current offices in Bloomington at Two MarketPointe.
About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (in terms of 2014 revenue). The Company has approximately 70,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 400 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.
