CHICAGO—Co-working may have begun with collections of freelancers joining together to share cheap office spaces, but it has rapidly become a big business that has helped transform the downtown office market. In fact, three of the largest 2015 office leases in Chicago were signed by industry leader WeWork, according to the latest market beat report from MBRE. Furthermore, three of the largest leases signed in the first two months of 2016 were also for co-working spaces, another by WeWork and two by a company new to Chicago, MakeOffices.

As reported in GlobeSt.com, last year WeWork decided to take over much of the space at 20 W. Kinzie vacated by Google, and ensured that the River North tower would maintain its reputation as a lively center of high-tech companies. And the Washington, DC-based MakeOffices just debuted two Chicago locations, one at 350 N. Orleans in River North, and the other at One North State in the Central Loop. The two locations will eventually encompass 130,000 square feet

“We are starting to see the rise of the new hybrid employee, and they need office space,” MakeOffices chief executive officer Raymond Rahbar told GlobeSt.com. This expanding group includes entrepreneurs, freelancers, and those working in small businesses. “Chicago has emerged as a strong innovation hub with a world-class startup ecosystem and a rich talent pool, making it a natural city for MakeOffices expansion.”