A study reveals that the office construction market in the U.S. has slowed, but some development continues. Amid this slowdown, Atlanta still has about 937,000 square feet of office space under construction in 2026. This number places the city in the 10th rank among U.S. cities for office development volume.
Atlanta’s Current Office Construction Trends
The real estate market in the U.S. is undergoing a shift, making agility essential for developers. It is to help them respond better to losses and changing demands. However, this also created uncertainty that has slowed construction activity in many U.S. markets.
A study by CommercialCafe lists the cities most affected by these changes. Atlanta ranks 10th, showing that office development in the city is progressing with projects underway.
The city has about 937,000 square feet of office space that is under construction this year.
According to Metro Atlanta CEO, this number only represents about 0.5% of the city’s total office inventory. While Atlanta has a notable amount of office space under construction, development is now cautious and smaller. Instead of huge new office towers, the city’s development is focused on mixed-use projects, adaptive reuse, or smaller office developments.
Office Construction in the U.S. Slows According to New Study
Office construction is slowing across the U.S., but new projects are still breaking ground. The study by CommercialCafe reveals that there is about 28.9 million square feet of office space under construction currently nationwide. About half of these projects started in 2025, reflecting the developers’ mindset and the shifting market.
The uncertainties in present times are making developers more flexible and cautious. Some have also seen projects pause. This is because some developers require tenants to lease space before continuing construction.
For example, Boston’s IQHQ’s life sciences lab project, which has been halted until 50% pre-leasing is secured. On the other end, the 1.1 million square foot Amazon-owned Tower 1 at Bellevue 600 stands as one of the largest office project that is to be delivered this year.
The study ranks Boston in the top place, with most of its office space under construction. It has 4.1 million square feet of office space under construction. However, its pipeline has dropped to less than 25% of its peak after the pandemic.
Following Boston is Manhattan, with 2.7 million square feet of office space under construction. It is followed by Dallas with 2.4 million square feet of office space and Los Angeles with 2 million square feet of office space.
Although the office construction market is slowing nationwide, Atlanta remains among the top cities with active projects. The shift towards smaller and more flexible developments reflects how the industry is adjusting to new workplace trends and uncertainty.
