CINCINNATI—Market fundamentals for the Greater Cincinnati office market continued to be strong during the first quarter of 2016, according to CBRE's new Office MarketView report. Tenant demand for class A product accounted for much of the 144,861 square feet of net absorption in the metro area. ,

Most impressive has been the progress at the region's speculative developments such as the Kenwood Collection in suburban Kenwood, and Rookwood Exchange, which were both completed in late 2015. Tenants have already leased nearly 90% of the properties. In the first quarter, Quotient Technology Inc., formerly known as Coupons.com, leased 32,000 square feet at the Kenwood Collection, bringing that complex to a 91% occupancy rate. The lease up has even encouraged the developer to begin converting some of the retail space into offices.

“The success of the Kenwood Collection and Rookwood Exchange show that companies are willing to pay higher rents for premium space if it will provide not only an attractive client experience but also an environment that will help attract and retain quality employees,” says John Eckert, first vice president at CBRE's Cincinnati office.