As both commuting times and gas prices continue to grow, having everything you need in one building becomes increasingly appealing. Enter live-work-play (LWP) developments, buildings that combine residential with office, retail and occasionally even industrial areas.
Noticing the growing popularity of LWP developments, CoworkingCafe’s latest report focuses on identifying the top U.S. cities with the most live-work-play developments completed over the past 10 years and tracking their evolution during that time. Here are the top entries:
No. 1 New York
Limited space for expansion makes New York the perfect breeding ground for mixed-use developments. Over the past decade, the Big Apple launched 119 new LWP buildings, with 2025 standing out due to the boom in live-work-play structures – 31 new mixed-use constructions opened their doors that year alone. Coworking spaces within LWP structures also went up, reaching 17 flex offices that are ready to accommodate New York’s hybrid workers.
No. 2 Miami and Chicago
Miami and Chicago share the second spot, with 15 LWP developments each. While Miami experienced a sharp spike in mixed-use structures after 2020, recording 11 new buildings, Chicago witnessed steady LWP growth before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the two cities evolved differently, the distribution of residential, office and retail is remarkably similar. For both, multifamily areas dominate LWP constructions, with office and retail covering less of the total LWP square footage compared to the national average (27% for office and 11% for retail).
No. 3 Seattle
With 14 live-work-play developments, Seattle claims the third-highest number of mixed-use structures built in the past decade. Half of these buildings host coworking spaces, which comes as no surprise given that office space takes up a whopping 49% of total LWP square footage in Seattle – the second-highest percentage of office areas in our rankings.
No. 4 Philadelphia and Atlanta
Philadelphia and Atlanta share the fourth spot with 11 live-work-play buildings each. The main distinction between the two is how space breaks down within each city’s LWP buildings. Philadelphia has the third-highest office area in local LWP constructions, with 43% of the total square footage taken up by office space.
Atlanta, by contrast, has the second-lowest office square footage. Even though Atlanta has just 17% office space within mixed-use developments, the city has the sixth-highest number of coworking spaces, with three flex offices nestled within its LWP structures. As for LWP growth, both cities saw steady increases throughout the years.
No. 5 Columbus, Ohio, and Portland, Oregon
With 10 LWP developments apiece, Columbus and Portland share a spot in this ranking. The evolution of LWP buildings follows a similar pattern in both cities – each started strong, with three developments opening in 2016. Columbus saw more mixed-use developments before 2020, with the LWP trend experiencing a slight cool-down post pandemic. Portland has a bit more office square footage in LWP developments than Columbus (32% compared with 28%) which is possibly why the Rose City has a coworking space within its mixed-use developments and Columbus doesn’t.
No. 6 Denver and Nashville, Tennessee
While the LWP evolution is similar for both cities (three mixed-use developments before the pandemic and six after), the trajectory of coworking within these LWP buildings differs. Nashville gained two flex offices between 2022 and 2026, while Denver lost two, going from three to one. This drop likely reflects the small office area found in Denver’s live-work-play structures, which takes up just 19% of the total LWP square footage. Nashville, on the other hand, mirrors the national trend, with office taking up 27% of the total square footage. The Tennessee entry also differentiates itself with the premium quality of its buildings, as all of the LWP developments in Nashville have Class A ratings.
No. 7 Kansas City, Missouri; Cleveland; and Austin, Texas
While all three entries share seventh spot, Cleveland and Austin stand out through their high share of office areas. Out of the total live-work-play square footage for each city, office takes up 31% in Cleveland and 33% in Austin (the fifth-highest percentage of office). By comparison, Kansas City is below the national average, with 17% taken up by office areas. The quality of the LWP developments is also top-notch, with all mixed-use structures in Austin and Cleveland and seven in Kansas City carrying Class A ratings.
No. 8 Washington, D.C., and San Francisco
The nation’s capital and San Francisco share eighth place with seven LWP buildings apiece. San Francisco has the fourth-largest office area within LWP buildings, at 34%. Washington sits at the opposite end, holding the second-lowest share of office area within LWP developments (16%). San Francisco also has the third-highest number of coworking spaces in mixed-use developments; out of the seven LWP structures, six host flex offices. Washington also has a coworking space within its mixed-use developments.
No. 9 Jersey City, New Jersey; Los Angeles; and Rochester, New York
With six mixed-use constructions each, Jersey City, LA and Rochester share ninth place. Jersey City and Rochester stand at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to office area in local LWP buildings. While Rochester has the highest share of office space (51%) within live-work-play structures, Jersey City has the lowest (9%). And yet, within that 9%, five coworking spaces took root, marking the fourth-highest flex office share in LWP developments.
As for LA, the city stands out when it comes to quality. LA is one of the few cities where all of the mixed-use developments have Class A ratings, offering residents and workers modern amenities and high-end designs.
No. 10 Cincinnati, Houston and Dallas
Among our last three entries, Dallas is the only one that completed more LWP developments after 2020. Houston and Cincinnati were early to the live-work-play movement of the past decade, opening four and three new buildings, respectively. With retail taking up 16% of the total LWP square footage, Houston has the second-largest shopping area in our list. Although all three entries have more office space than the national average, only Dallas has a coworking space within its mixed-use developments.
Conclusion
As urban areas continue to densify and the lines between living, working and shopping blur further, live-work-play developments are becoming a more visible part of the American cityscape. With coworking spaces increasingly finding a home within these mixed-use structures, LWP buildings are becoming not just a lifestyle choice but a practical solution for the growing hybrid workforce.
