Report shows over 20% of region’s offices were vacant at the end of 2022

PITTSBURGH — A new report from Newmark is shedding light on the state of the workplace in Pittsburgh.

The data shows 21.4% of Downtown office spaces were empty at the end of 2022.

21.8% were vacant across the region -- up 1% over the end of 2021.

“Getting people back in the office has been more of a challenge than I think anybody thought it would be,” said Gerry McLaughlin, the Executive Managing Director of Newmark.

According to McLaughlin, this current trend is driven by workplace behaviors developed during the COVID pandemic that are still ongoing, like working fully from home or only spending a few days per week in the office.

But those aren’t the only factors.

“We’re also seeing economic issues like inflation and talks of recession in the first or second quarter of the coming year. Anytime you have these kinds of issues out there, it has an effect on companies making decisions,” explained McLaughlin.

More companies are opting to relocate or downsize their physical locations, he said.

But he does not see many companies closing their office spaces entirely.

He’s also forecasting a strong workplace rebound in the near future.

“I fully expect by the end of 2023 that we’ll be talking about a much more positive report, so I’m excited about that,” said McLaughlin.

To read the full Newmark report, click here.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

Thousands of people attend funeral services for fallen Brackenridge chief Justin McIntire Hundreds of community members lined up along Freeport Rd. to pay their respects to fallen police chief Justin McIntire.

©2023 Cox Media Group