Orlando Class A Office Market

TL;DR

• Lake Nona Medical City is the principal life-sciences and healthcare HQ frontier.
• Tourism HQs (Disney, Universal) and defense (Lockheed Martin) anchor structural demand.
• Class A vacancy below 15% — tighter than the Sunbelt average.
• Florida no-state-income-tax regime continues to drive HQ moves.

Overview

Orlando's Class A market is anchored by Walt Disney, Universal, AdventHealth, and Lockheed Martin headquarters and operating campuses. The Lake Nona Medical City master plan continues to expand the city's life sciences and healthcare footprint. Downtown Orlando hosts a growing trophy tier.

Market snapshot

Composite of Q1 2026 broker market reports for Orlando (JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, Knight Frank, Savills).

Lease norms

Modified-gross structures. 10-year terms standard. Free rent of 10-14 months and TI of $80-$110/sqft typical on a 10-year Class A deal.

Transit & access

LYNX bus network plus SunRail commuter rail serving Downtown, Maitland, and Lake Mary. Orlando International Airport is a 15-minute drive from Downtown. Brightline now connects Orlando to Miami.

Tax

21% federal plus Florida's 5.5% C-corp tax. No personal income tax. Combined effective rate near 22.5%.

Talent

Strong tourism, healthcare, defense, and simulation/training talent. UCF (largest university in the US by enrollment) anchors the engineering pipeline. Strong in-migration from the Northeast continues.

Notable Class A buildings

• SunTrust (Truist) Center · Downtown — Downtown's tallest tower.
• Bank of America Center · Downtown
• Tavistock Lakeside Village · Lake Nona — Lake Nona Medical City trophy.
• Maitland Center · Maitland
• UCF Downtown Campus · Downtown — UCF / Valencia College joint downtown campus.

Class A submarkets in Orlando

• Downtown — Orlando's legacy CBD trophy core. (trophy)
• Lake Nona — Master-planned life-sciences and healthcare frontier. (trophy)
• Maitland / Altamonte Springs — Suburban Class A spine. (prime)
• Lake Mary / Heathrow — Tech-tilted suburban corridor. (prime)
• I-Drive / Tourism Corridor — Tourism HQ corridor. (established)

Orlando deep-dives

• Rents and incentives — What does Class A rent cost and what concessions are typical?
• Sublease market — How deep is sublease">sublease availability and how does it price?
• ESG and LEED stock — How much certified stock exists and what premium does it command?
• Transit and commute — Which submarkets have the strongest transit access?
• Talent and salaries — What does the white-collar talent pool look like and how is it priced?
• Fit-out costs — What does a Class A fit-out">fit-out cost per square foot?
• Flex vs lease — When does premium coworking beat a traditional lease?
• Taxes and incentives — What corporate, occupancy, and property taxes apply?
• Neighborhoods overview — Which Class A submarkets exist and how do they compare?
• Notable buildings — Which trophy assets define the market?
• Class A vs Class B — What is the spread between Class A and Class B and why?
• Leasing conventions — What lease structures, terms, and concessions are normal?
• Expansion checklist — What is the operational checklist for opening here?
• Relocation guide — How do you move into this market from another city?
• Frequently asked questions — Quick answers to the questions occupiers ask most.
• Operating expenses — What service charges, OpEx, and pass-throughs apply on top of rent?
• Growth and availability — How tight is current availability and what does the pipeline look like?
• Sustainability pathways — How do tenants land net-zero or science-based-target leases here?
• Hybrid work policy — How are hybrid policies shaping office demand here?
• Security and redundancy — What security, power, and connectivity redundancy are standard?
• Lab and R&D space — What does R&D-grade or wet-lab space look like in this market?
• Brand experience — How do trophy buildings function as brand experiences and showpieces?
• Fund strategy and flag — Which submarkets carry the strongest investor flag for funds?
• Exit and renewal — How do you handle a Class A renewal or exit cleanly here?
• Market cycle position — Where is this Class A market in its cycle right now?

Frequently asked questions

What is Lake Nona's role in the market?

Lake Nona Medical City is the principal life-sciences, healthcare, and education HQ frontier — anchored by AdventHealth, Nemours Children's, USTA national campus, and KPMG's Lakehouse training center.

How does Orlando compare to Tampa?

Orlando is more tourism and healthcare-tilted; Tampa is more financial services and insurance-tilted. Both share Florida's tax and in-migration tailwinds.

Is Downtown Orlando viable for institutional tenants?

Yes — SunTrust Center, Bank of America Center, and the UCF Downtown campus anchor a credible Class A cluster with growing post-2020 absorption.