After several years of headlines declaring the “death of office,” the first half of 2026 is telling a very different story on the ground in Southern California and key Sun Belt markets. Activity across my pipeline now reflects a more nuanced reality: office is not disappearing, it is recalibrating. Today, I have approximately $22 million under contract for sale, much of it concentrated in creative office product and office leasing across the Southland. This volume is being driven by tenants and owner / users who are rethinking the role of physical space and leaning into environments that amplify culture, collaboration, and brand.
A prime illustration of this dynamic is 8729 Aviation Blvd in Inglewood, California, a recently renovated ±22,925-square-foot creative office and flex building situated minutes from LAX and SoFi Stadium. The property combines a secure, reinforced concrete structure with a fully modernized creative build out, expansive collaborative and event areas, and robust infrastructure suitable for both office and specialized use. With its proximity to major transportation, entertainment, and coastal submarkets, 8729 Aviation is a case study in how well located, highly curated assets are capturing demand from companies that want their space to work harder for them.
What we are seeing across our client base is not a simple “return to the office” but a purposeful “return for a reason.” Teams are coming back together in spaces that offer more than rows of desks and static floor plans. The new standard emphasizes versatile programming, hospitality inspired amenities, and the technological and physical infrastructure required for content creation, events, and hybrid work. Properties like 8729 Aviation are designed to host collaboration, client engagement, and high production experiences under one roof, creating an environment where in-person days feel distinctly more valuable than working from home.
This shift is not limited to professional services or media companies. In Los Angeles, I am advising a fast fashion brand on the acquisition of new office space that reflects their rapid pace, creative output, and merchandising needs. For them, an HQ is no longer just a workplace; it is a content studio, a showroom, and a cultural hub. At the same time, we are spearheading this client’s industrial supply chain requirement of approximately 1,000,000 square feet in Phoenix, Arizona. That assignment underscores another clear trend: high growth consumer brands are simultaneously upgrading their customer-facing environments and expanding their logistics and distribution footprints in markets that offer scale, labor, and connectivity.
Taken together, these projects support a broader thesis: Q1 and Q2 of 2026 are marking a meaningful rebound for the office sector, but not in its old form. The demand we are seeing is focused, discerning, and experience driven. Commodity space still struggles, but assets that deliver thoughtful design, flexibility, and strategic location are attracting capital and commitments. As companies refine their hybrid policies, they are choosing to invest in fewer, better spaces and using them as tools to drive connection, innovation, and performance.
In this cycle, office is not an obligation; it is a differentiator. And for owners and occupiers who understand that distinction, the opportunity set is expanding, not contracting.
For more info: Contact Alexander Koustas / The December Company, Inc. Alex@DecemberCompany.com