"You might have a larger number of desk-space renters in Manhattan than in suburban Houston," Segal explains. In a location such as downtown Chicago or Atlanta's CBD, he notes, smaller offices or desks might be preferential. "But in a place in which the underlying cost of rent is lower, people are trending more toward private offices," he adds.

In terms of neighborhood specifications, Segal says Boxer Property is experimenting with everything from urban core to suburban, with minor adjustments in each area. In addition to Houston, Boxer is rolling out the concept to its buildings in Dallas, Denver and Phoenix.

And within those neighborhoods, Boxer is investing in smaller design approaches ranging in size from 7,000-8,000 square feet to full properties. In fact one building – a 123,089-square-foot structure at 1322 Space Park Dr. in the Clear Lake submarket – is being redesigned as an entire Boxer Worklife space. That space will include a dog park and outdoor activities. Furthermore, instead of putting a deli in the building, Boxer is making arrangements with food trucks to offer food outside the building. "The entire building is becoming a Workstyle environment," Segal comments.

Segal goes on to say that, while the Workstyle concept has been underway for the past 18 months, it involved a process of more than two decades. "We've been focused on small tenants for the past 21 years," he says. "We're familiar with the needs and sensitivities of this end of the market. The response to this has been wonderful."