The Trend

A rapid transition to remote work for those with computer-based jobs was a significant result of the pandemic. While the ability to work from home either full or part-time was not a new concept, many workplaces were forced to fully transition to a remote work model almost overnight. Conversely, frontline and essential services workers did not have this option as their employers, at least temporarily, closed or they continued to report to work in person. The remote workplace structure continues to evolve as businesses grapple with decisions on bringing workers back into the office or allowing a remote work to continue, with many landing on a compromise of hybrid work.

Planning Implications

• Employees working remotely or coming to the office only a few days a week has impacted office vacancies. A trending increase in vacant or underutilized office space seen pre-pandemic became even more pronounced. Newer office spaces with more amenities are generally favored, creating more vacancy challenges for older office buildings.
• Remote work also influences land use and transportation patterns. For those who can work fully remote, they can live anywhere in relation to their place of work. Employees who only need to come into the office a few days a week may be more willing to take on a longer commute and live further from their employer, creating a higher demand for housing in places that were once considered outside of job centers.
• The ability to work further from home can have a positive impact for those who cannot afford to live in the area where they work and also lowers transportation costs. However, this trend can affect housing prices in what were once more affordable locations. Other changes to transportation patterns may occur as people’s commuting routines change and they adjust how and when they run errands (e.g., during the day instead of on their way home from work). These locational impacts are likely to continually evolve as employers settle into final decisions on their employees' work locations.
• The expanded ability to work from home also had implications for increased demands for larger homes to accommodate both personal and workspace and highlighted the importance of access to high-speed internet services. A higher demand for local services, such as office supply stores, and more frequent walking and biking during the day are additional implications of the work-from-home trend.
• There is potential for some conversions to other uses, for example a proposed elementary school in Tredyffrin will use a former large office building. Limited reuse for needed housing is another option, although the layout of office buildings typically does not lend itself well to residential conversions.

Survey Connection

Respondents to the Landscapes3 Trends Survey identified the ability to work from home and an improved work commute as the first and third top trends that have personally impacted them most directly. Resolving employee preferences for working at home versus in-person rated moderately high as a trend that impacted their community, business, or place of work.

Landscapes3 Connection

The trend in remote work and decreasing demand for office space was clearly recognized in the county's pre-L3 Commercial Landscapes Series: Reinventing Office Parks for the 21st Century (2017). (see p. 7). This publication had multiple recommendations for adapting to new office space demands. Landscapes3 also recognized these changing work trends in the Prosper Objective A: "Promote a diverse industry base and flexible workplaces that can adapt to rapidly evolving market, demographic, and technological trends." Two L3 Prosper recommendations that address this object are: "Create a countywide redevelopment program to revitalize underutilized properties." and "Encourage Suburban Center investment by increasing transportation amenities and creating an enhanced sense of place." Many of the other prosper recommendations also focus on providing a strong and diverse economic base in the county. The Landscapes3 Suburban Center and Urban Center Design Guides are relevant in making suburban and urban centers even more attractive to live and work.

Looking Forward

he issue that Landscapes3 did not foresee was the pandemic and the very rapid transition to remote work and more pronounced impact on office vacancy. However, many of the recommendations noted above, particularly in the "Reinventing the Office Parks" publication as well as the Design Guides are still relevant. Chester County’s many amenities and high quality of place will continue to attract both employers and new residents, whether they are remote or in-person employees.

Actions to address these trends include:

1. Amend zoning for office parks to allow for a mix of uses, including residential and commercial.
2. Explore opportunities for converting underutilized office parks to industrial.
3. Determine what local commercial uses and services are needed to serve people now working fully or part-time from home and consider if small retail uses (like coffee shops) might appropriate in some residential districts.
4. Consider the need to expand sidewalks to address pedestrian safety in neighborhoods that now have a higher number of work-from-home residents and daytime pedestrians.
5. Determine if limited increases of residential impervious coverage in zoning would better facilitate the need for in-home office space.