Overview
As work patterns change, many Units have an opportunity to reevaluate the office space that supports it. To the extent Units are able to reduce their overall demand for office space, space may be made available for other uses or functions, or reduce the need for additional space to accommodate growth. Administrative space might be repurposed for research or teaching purposes. A unit may also determine it has more space than it needs, seek to share or transfer space to another unit, or release space altogether to reduce cost.
Incentives to transfer and release space
When consolidation or space reduction allows the termination of a lease, cost savings are clear. For campus space however, units continue to be responsible for the cost of vacant space assigned to them until it is reassigned to another entity.
As part of the Strategic Space Initiative, PSRE is working with University Leadership on opportunities to support and incentivize the release and transfer of unused space.
Since it often requires time and resources to reassign, reconfigure and transition spaces, we are also initiating strategies to:
- target key units and specific buildings for consolidation
- bridge the cost of holding space between reassignments as part of a potential state funding request
- develop capital projects that support flexible workplace environments
- align transfers of space with larger capital projects and strategic initiatives
Recommendations for units seeking to optimize space utilization
- Contact your RRC-FL to explore space sharing or redistribution opportunities within your department, School, College or Administrative Unit (RRC).
- Work with your RRC-FL representative to submit a Space Request for PSRE planning services.
- PSRE can help you think through options, scenarios, and seek alignment with other units and their planning activities.
- PSRE applies planning principles to help units understand remote work patterns, work styles, work requirements, access FIS analytical tools and resources for space related information, and follow Flexible Workplace space allocation standards and guidelines where appropriate.
Process for transfer and release of space
University space is owned by the Regents of the University of Minnesota. Planning, Space, and Real Estate (PSRE) facilitates and approves this transfer to ensure the highest and best use of the space in alignment with University goals.
The process to transfer or release space varies if it is within, or outside, your Resource Responsibility Center (RRC).
- Contact your RRC-FL to explore opportunities to transfer space to another department within your School, College, or Administrative Unit (RRC).
- Work with your RRC-FL representative to submit a Space Request for PSRE planning services before negotiating a deal to release or transfer space outside your School, College, or Administrative Unit (RRC).
- PSRE will guide through the process, work with you to identify and align requests for space from other units, and draft a Space Reassignment Agreement (SRA). The Space Reassignment Agreement documents transferring the use of such University space from one Resource Responsibility Center (RRC) to another RRC and authorizes Facility Information Services (FIS) to reassign the space within the University space inventory.
- PSRE maintains a record of unused and/or underutilized space, and units seeking additional space. We can help match needs, facilitate space agreements, and look for opportunities for further consolidation and efficiencies in space utilization across departments, floors and buildings.