Once upon a time, developers were racing to build office towers. Now, brokers are working over time to maximize tenant occupancy for profit-minded owners trying to avoid the distress that has plagued much of the commercial real estate industry.

The Minneapolis office market has seen its share of foreclosures and deeds in lieu in the depths of the bust—and the ripple effect is still being felt. In January, Fifth Street Towers, a 1.1-million-square-foot office complex in Downtown Minneapolis, went back to the lender via deed in lieu.

The distress sparked a shift toward a value-add approach that aims to drive lease renewals and attract new tenants in the highly competitive Twin Cities market. Accenture Tower, a 621,193-square-foot office tower in the heart of Minneapolis, is perhaps the best example of how good facilities management can maximize tenant occupancy and, therefore, owner profitability.