When you own commercial space, keeping it fully occupied and profitable is an ongoing effort. With the sheer amount of competition in the Sarasota area market – with new buildings going up every day – you may find your older space struggling to attract new clientele.
The choice to renovate commercial space may be necessary to keep up with the growing marketplace in this area. Here are a few renovations which we believe will help you to attract and retain great tenants in 2020 and beyond.
Re-imagine Traditional Commercial Space
If you have an older facility, you may find that the lack of bells and whistles is hurting you in a trendy business climate. Of course, you may be able to gain some clientele with a lower rental rate, but why not try to raise the bar? If you are looking to dress up and remarket your tired commercial space, here are some of the hottest features to attract new business, according to experts.
Provide Natural Light: Working all day under fluorescent lighting isn’t good for anyone, and virtually everyone knows it. Providing natural light for potential tenants is a great improvement. Options may include compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, as they more closely mimic natural light; or allowing employees to install lamps at their desk, which is not as jarring as overhead lighting. But if at all possible in your space, you may want to install large windows or skylights to let the sun stream in. Those worried about workers being distracted gazing out the window may consider windows above eye level, or break rooms with ample sunshine.
Make the Space Adaptable: Wide open spaces, sliding glass walls, movable cubicles, and barriers made of tall plants or artwork are all ways to ensure that your space is all things to all people.
Add Plants: Many recent studies have confirmed that having plants in an office space increases both productivity and morale – not to mention, they create a healthier environment by cleaning and purifying the air. Transform your old office space with tall, living green walls, large trees in lobbies with high ceilings, and plant-filled common areas for breaks and relaxation. Add an outdoor eating area and cover with trellises and flowering plants, or add flower boxes to office walls to add plants and color. Plants calm our nerves, and appropriately placed water features are also conducive to a more stress-free environment for your tenants.
Repurpose Empty Space: Commercial space can be bland, so attract new clients by retrofitting any empty space with an onsite gym or basketball court, a quiet reading area with comfortable couches and places to work without interruption, or a break room with big screen TVs and video games. One idea that is tried and true- and always successful – is to set aside some space for a café and coffee shop. You can lease the space to a local vendor (so as not to run it yourself) but the presence of food, snacks and especially coffee within the building is always a hit with prospective tenants – even if you are leasing residential units!
Don’t Forget the Exterior: It doesn’t matter how much we progress – first impressions still matter! Be sure to reserve a good portion of your renovation budget to refurbish the exterior of your building – a fresh coat of paint, new landscaping, a sculpture or fountain, a larger parking lot with bike racks and electric car charging stations – all of these will go a long way to catching a prospective tenant’s eye and encouraging an onsite visit.
Lindahl Construction is renowned for our beautiful Sarasota and Longboat Key custom home construction, but we also specialize in quality commercial work. Call us today if your commercial space needs a facelift for 2020 – our experts are here to help.