ORANGE COUNTY, CA—Contemporary workspaces in Orange County are in short supply, according to Bixby Land Co. president and CEO Bill Halford. Bixby is helping to fill the demand for modern office spaces with a handful of development projects either recently delivered or under construction; and if the company's recent success in El Segundo is any indicator, that is great news for the market. Bixby recently signed a 28,584-square-foot lease with Sanrio at its 2101 El Segundo Blvd. office campus in El Segundo, bringing the newly constructed property's occupancy to 80% in less than a year since completing the renovations. In light of the recent success and the projects underway, we sat Halford down for an exclusive interview to discuss the office market, what is happening in El Segundo and what tenants want. Here is what he told us:

GlobeSt.com: You recently brought your property at 2101 El Segundo Blvd. up to 80% leased. How were you able to accomplish that in such a short time?

Bill Halford: We started out with a very focused idea of what tenants wanted and how we wanted to position the building. 2101 was designed as an urban work environment with a creative bent that spoke directly to the kind of tenant we wanted to attract. Walking into the lobby is similar to entering a luxury boutique hotel. The design, the finishes, the background music, the lobby bar, it all works together to make a statement that this is a far cry from a typical corporate office building.

We also made the building dog friendly, a first for a mid-rise building of this size in the market. The building is close to the beach, so offering beach cruisers for the tenants was a no-brainer. Beyond all of the amenities is a vibe that connects with tenants.

GlobeSt.com: What is driving office leasing in the El Segundo market?

Halford: El Segundo has really come into its own as a hub for contemporary space. The market is close to South Bay beach communities, and it's an attractive option to higher priced markets further up the coast in Playa Vista and Santa Monica. There is a critical mass of creative tenants in El Segundo now, and this fueling more demand.

GlobeSt.com: Aside from El Segundo, what are some of the other emerging markets you focused on in Southern California, and why?

Halford: We have either delivered or are in development on 1 million square feet in Silicon Valley, where the high demand for creative space in the tech sector jump started development back in 2009-2010. Demand has moved south through the state as other sectors and property markets recovered, hence the growth in Silicon Beach and the South Bay. Orange County is in short supply of contemporary work space, and we have four projects here that are either underway or completed to fill this void, especially for users in the 50,000 square feet and up range. We also have four buildings in development in the San Diego.  

GlobeSt.com: What are tenants today looking for in an office property?

Halford: Companies want an office environment that their people can get excited about. Employee recruitment and retention are big factors today. Younger workers tie their job satisfaction to their work environment, and companies recognize this.

GlobeSt.com: Do you believe that creative office is here to stay?

Halford: There is no doubt in my mind. The impact of technology on the way people work is here to stay. Companies and their employees will continue to prefer a work place they can call home, and that's definitely not found in the office of yesterday.