Tech giant Google is leaving behind a prime piece of San Francisco real estate. The company confirmed on Thursday that it plans to exit its 300,000-square-foot office space at the Spear Tower, part of the prestigious One Market Plaza complex, within the next year. This marks the first time Google has entirely vacated a building in San Francisco, despite previously reducing its office footprint elsewhere in the Bay Area by over a million square feet.
While Google is shedding the Spear Tower, it intends to retain its presence at the neighboring brick-faced Landmark building within One Market Plaza. This move aligns with Google’s stated focus on “investing in real estate efficiently to meet the current and future needs of our hybrid workforce,” according to company spokesperson Ryan Lamont. Lamont reiterated Google’s commitment to maintaining a long-term presence in San Francisco.
The decision to vacate the Spear Tower comes amidst a broader shift in the tech industry’s approach to office space. The rise of remote work models sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted companies to re-evaluate their physical office needs. Google’s decision reflects this trend, suggesting a preference for optimizing its office space to accommodate a hybrid work environment.
