Today, nearly 29% of downtown office space sits empty as efforts to bring workers back face headwinds. “More of my employees were moving further and further away,” said Chris Schwalbech, a business and property owner in downtown Boulder. But as the cost of a downtown office space becomes untenable, businesses are rethinking even that option. These opportunities and efforts could have the impact of attracting and keeping businesses downtown, but don’t address issues of affordability and remote work. Soto used to live and work downtown until the owner of his apartment decided to move back in.