- Location: Denver Suburbs, Colorado, USA
- Size: 9,250 sq ft headquarters office
- Solution: Managed workspace with bespoke fit-out
- Advisory Partner: Offices iQ
*Offices iQ is an independent broker with no tied affiliations, therefore our impartial advice is always in our clients’ best interests
Why was the client’s brief so interesting?
Our client approached us with some very specific requirements:
- the location was fixed — it needed to be within 1 square mile of a point in the Denver suburbs;
- they wanted to establish a headquarters that would embody the credibility and professionalism of their business and whose spaces would impress their clients, partners and investors;
- they didn’t want a conventional long-term lease that required heavy capital investment upfront.
Our clients were looking for a self-contained, fully branded headquarters that would accommodate the senior leadership team alongside day‑to‑day operations while supporting frequent visits from important contacts, which also offered space for the team to grow.
By specifying such a confined location from the outset, it naturally limited the number of spaces that could be considered for office use.
Additionally, the office space needed the potential to become a showpiece environment that impressed visitors when they walked through the door.
It was apparent that standard serviced offices in the area could not provide the levels of privacy, control or design flexibility required for a headquarters environment.
Equally, a conventional lease — where the desired environment could be fitted out — would necessitate longer timelines, greater financial risk and a far larger financial commitment upfront… and they’d already stated they were looking for a solution that would deliver a fully branded headquarters without the heavy upfront capital investment and complexity that comes with a traditional lease.
Why was using Offices iQ a smart move?
As an independent advisory firm with no ties to any operator, landlord or building, we were able to approach the property search with complete impartiality. Not being limited to a shortlist of linked solutions, we could look at every property within the client’s search area, systematically reviewing each site for its potential suitability.
What’s more, our specialist expertise in managed workspaces really shone: being able to draw on our deep knowledge of how managed, serviced and conventional lease structures operate, we could compare different scenarios at an early phase and guide the client towards the most suitable delivery model.
After a series of consultations with the client’s leadership team, the requirement was agreed as follows:
Key Workspace Requirements
- Self-contained bespoke workspace designed to function as a headquarters
- CEO office and an executive suite alongside 20–25 open plan desks
- Ability to expand the existing desk count in step with a growing team
- Multiple meeting rooms with high-quality media technology
- Kitchen facilities suitable for both client hosting and everyday use
- Five-year term with the flexibility to extend
- Very tight location parameters within roughly one mile of a Denver suburb
- An environment that feels like a branded headquarters, not a generic serviced office.
How was the right Delivery Partner chosen?
Knowing the client wanted a showcase headquarters, whichever site was selected, the project would require a level of customisation that went far beyond a typical workspace fit-out. Selecting the right delivery partner was therefore crucial — and this is another area where our independence and global market knowledge brought significant value.
We recommended a partner who could demonstrate the right combination of skills and delivery experience, flexibility and governance standards, based on:
- Proven track records delivering bespoke workspace projects
- A flexible and collaborative approach focussed on the client’s requirements
- Ability to deliver high-quality custom design specifications
- Strong corporate governance and operational infrastructure
- A record of delivering solutions in more challenging markets.
Having found a trusted delivery partner for this project, we worked with them to find and develop the right site for our client.
Why was Managed Space the right model?
Given the tight location brief and the limited availability of suitable stock, we looked at every possible space within the designated area to assess which site might satisfy the client’s requirements of a bespoke, stand-alone, fully managed solution.
Our targeted market analysis focussed on several key criteria:
- Delivery capability — to support tailored design and construction
- Commercial flexibility — weighing the suitability of a managed structure against lease terms and financing options
- Investor-facing quality — arrival experience, the standard of finish and the business’s daily operational needs
- Timeline risk — planning, construction, procurement and delivery considerations.
These criteria were then evaluated against the potential delivery routes of serviced offices, conventionally leased space and a managed workspace structure. As the chart below illustrates, an obvious route emerged, with a fully managed workspace offering the client flexibility, design control and speed of delivery.
| Workspace Considerations | Managed Space | Serviced Offices | Conventional Lease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-contained private workspace | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bespoke design and branding | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Layout and finishes tailored to the client | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Faster delivery timeline | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dedicated project delivery team | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Single point of contact | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Flexible commercial structure | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| No long lease commitment required | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fully bundled workspace costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| No client fit-out management | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| No multiple contractor coordination | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
What solution did we deliver?
Acting as the client’s independent advisor in all negotiations between the landlord, the workspace operator and the client, we were able to engineer a solution that delivered simplicity, clarity and certainty.
The landlord’s initial position was a ten-year lease commitment, which did not align with the client’s timeframe or financial stance. However, we helped to structure a solution whereby the operator entered into a fixed term lease with the landlord, while the client signed a similarly fixed term managed workspace agreement with the operator.
Under the terms agreed for this project, the client pays a single quarterly invoice that covers every aspect of the workspace — from rent and rates to facilities management, utilities and the amortised cost of the fit-out — for the duration of the agreement.
The completed headquarters we delivered gave our client:
- a fully self-contained, 9,250 sq ft workspace
- a fully bespoke design, tailored to the client’s brand and daily operational needs
- a managed space agreement that removed the need for upfront capital expenditure or managing suppliers
- a clear payment schedule via a single quarterly invoice
- cost certainty for the duration of the agreement.
A Single, Comprehensive Agreement
Operational Services Included
- Rent
- Business rates
- Facilities management
- Utilities
- Cleaning
- Security
- Fit-out costs amortised across the term
- IT infrastructure
- A single quarterly invoice
Bespoke Design Features
- Flagship boardroom with custom table
- Acoustic wall treatments
- Wood-panelled meeting rooms
- Bespoke furniture throughout
- Integrated media walls
- Two-tone wood design features
- Polished concrete flooring
- Collaboration area with phone booths
- Full brand integration
What were the client’s key benefits?
Offices iQ were able to negotiate a managed workspace structure for our client, ensuring delivery of a fully bespoke headquarters while avoiding the complexity normally associated with delivering a large office project and without any of the heavy upfront investment such a project typically requires.
Consequently, the leadership team could focus on running the business rather than managing multiple suppliers, contractors and property processes, themselves, for the whole lifecycle of the project.
Time Saved
- Workspace search and design coordination facilitated by Offices iQ
- Landlord negotiations and legal structuring handled through the managed model.
Financial Agility
- No upfront capital expenditure required
- Workplace infrastructure and operational services combined into one agreement
- A fixed quarterly invoice covering all workspace costs across the six-year agreement.
Speed and Simplicity
- Structured delivery process with clear accountability
- Defined project milestones and delivery timeline
- No need for the client to coordinate multiple contractors or suppliers.
Control and Identity
- Fully branded headquarters environment
- Direct client input into the design and layout
- A single contact point accountable for all operations, from initial brief through to delivery.
What sets Offices iQ apart from other brokers?
At every stage — from defining a brief, to evaluating workspace models, to selecting a delivery partner and a building, to negotiating the commercial terms — uniquely, we are free to act solely in a client’s best interests — and this case study is a perfect illustration of what a truly independent office brokerage can achieve.
Having no commercial relationships with specific operators or landlords, our advice is completely impartial so we can focus solely on whatever solution best meets a client’s requirements, budget and timeline.
So, if you need office space anywhere in the world, our global knowledge and local experience can ensure the best possible outcome is achieved, whether that be larger managed space solutions, serviced offices or the management of large global flexspace portfolios.
If you are reviewing office options in any market worldwide, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss the different workspace models available and help identify the most suitable approach for your organisation. As an independent advisory firm, our only agenda is getting it right for you.