The Unassuming Chicago Office Type Quietly Driving Suburban Leasing

Barchart·12/08/2025 03:36:19

While other Chicago office types are seeing a slow-but-steady return to office, an under-recognized segment of the area’s suburban office stock is quietly outperforming its peers: single-story properties.  Single-story office properties are leasing up faster than multistory counterparts in various suburban submarkets, according to NAI Hiffman data provided to Bisnow. Smaller tenants have been quicker to make decisions and are capitalizing on more affordable rates on landlords’ newly built-out spec suites, said Steve Chrastka, executive vice president and partner at NAI Hiffman.  “Single-story buildings are not the red-headed stepchild of the multistory anymore,” Chrastka said. “They're performing quite well.”