CliftonLarsonAllen, the national accounting and advisory firm with a sizeable St. Louis presence, is weighing a jump from its downtown tower to Clayton, in a move that could further shake up the city’s already fragile central business district. The shift, still under consideration, would affect roughly 210 local employees and add fresh uncertainty to an office market already on its heels.
The potential relocation was first reported by the St. Louis Business Journal, which reports that firm leaders are reviewing their options as downtown vacancies climb. The outlet frames the possible move as part of a broader wave of tenants hunting for newer, amenity-rich space outside the core.
Downtown Vacancy Climbs While Clayton Holds Steady
Regional market data show just how stark the split has become. Downtown vacancy surged in recent quarters, with the central business district ending 2025 at a 28.4% vacancy rate, according to a Cushman & Wakefield market note. The same report puts Clayton’s overall vacancy at about 15.4%, with asking rents near $29.43 per square foot, a spread that helps explain why companies are drifting toward higher-quality suburban offices.
Those gaps have left downtown landlords sweetening the pot with bigger concession packages in an effort to hang on to existing tenants or pitch older towers for new uses. Each large tenant that even considers a move adds a bit more pressure to the equation.
Why Tenants Are Choosing Clayton
Local brokers point to a clear “flight to quality” trend: firms want modern buildings, flexible layouts, on-site amenities and easier parking or transit access, a pattern highlighted in regional brokerage notes from NAI DESCO. Clayton, with its steadier leasing and positive absorption, has become a go-to destination for companies trying to coax hybrid workers back into the office with a better day-to-day experience…