Agility has become the defining strategy in the current office landscape. That’s because developers who can pivot quickly are better-positioned to mitigate losses and adapt to shifting demand. This trend is evident not only in the ongoing contraction of construction volumes across major U.S. markets, but also in the strategic pausing of high-profile projects. A notable example is IQHQ’s life sciences development in Boston, where vertical construction on the nearly 960,000-square-foot lab project has been halted until the developer secures a 50% pre-leasing commitment.

Despite these pauses, new construction starts have recently increased: According to Yardi Research data, nearly half of the 28.9 million square feet currently under construction consists of projects that broke ground in 2025. While this volume remains below the record highs seen immediately following the pandemic, the significant increase in the last 12 months provides an encouraging signal to developers regarding the potential for future project growth.

Yet momentum is quietly rebuilding, with Yardi Research indicating that nearly half of the 28.9 million square feet currently underway broke ground in 2025, a measured but meaningful uptick that signals cautious confidence in the next cycle of growth.

Our newest office report reveals:

• Atlanta has approximately 937,000 square feet of office space under construction, ranking 10th nationally by total volume.
• That pipeline represents 0.5% of total office inventory, placing the market 14th nationally by percentage of stock under construction.
• Nationally, 28.9 million square feet are under construction, with nearly half of that volume breaking ground in 2025.

Additional general highlights:

• Looking at the overall ranking, Boston maintained its position as the market with the largest office pipeline, totaling 4.1 million square feet under construction — 1.6% of the city’s total office stock. This volume represents less than one-quarter of its 2024 peak.
• Meanwhile, West Palm Beach, Fla., ranks first this year in terms of office space under construction as a share of total inventory. Approximately 1.6 million square feet are currently underway, accounting for 4% of the market’s existing office stock.
• In terms of office deliveries, the 1.1-million-square-foot Amazon-owned Tower 1 at Bellevue 600 stands as the largest office project set for delivery this year.
• Medical office development is gaining momentum in the South, led by the 251,444-square-foot MD Anderson Consolidated Service Center set to deliver in Q2, while most large life sciences projects remain concentrated in the Northeast.

Explore the complete findings in our CommercialCafe report here: www.commercialcafe.com