After Two Decades, Law Firm Moves From Brickell For More Affordable Office Space

Law firm Fowler White Burnett has finalized a lease for roughly 20,000 square feet at Citigroup Center in Downtown Miami, marking a notable reduction from the approximately 35,000 square feet it occupied for two decades at Brickell Arch.

The firm officially relocated last month to the 20th floor of the tower at 201 S. Biscayne Blvd., a move driven by rising Brickell rents and a desire for a more efficient office layout, according to managing shareholder Richard Wood. Fowler White had previously occupied space at Brickell Arch, where its lease expired earlier this year.

Wood said the firm used the relocation as an opportunity to rethink how its office space functions. Rather than maintaining offices across multiple floors, Fowler White sought a single, larger floor plate that would allow attorneys and staff to work together on one level. Changing market conditions in Brickell also factored heavily into the decision.

The firm first moved into Brickell Arch in 2005 and renewed its lease in 2015. By the time the most recent renewal option came due, the Brickell office market had transformed dramatically. Wood noted that renewing the lease would have resulted in rent increasing by roughly three times the firm’s prior rate.

Cost savings, however, were only part of the equation. The firm evaluated multiple submarkets, including Coral Gables, Blue Lagoon, Aventura and Downtown Miami, before selecting Citigroup Center. Wood pointed to the building’s condition, amenities and transit access as key advantages, particularly its connectivity to Brightline and Metrorail, which supports the firm’s offices in Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach County.

Fowler White temporarily occupied swing space in the building beginning in March while its permanent offices were completed within the 34-story, 832,000-square-foot tower.

Despite the smaller footprint, the firm plans to grow its Miami team beyond its current 34 attorneys. Wood said the new floor configuration allows the firm to accommodate more personnel than its prior office layout.

Citigroup Center ranks as the second-largest Class-A office building in Florida. Leasing at the tower is handled by JLL on behalf of the owner, CP Group, while Fowler White was represented by CBRE.