Creative office isn't about open space or even amenities, it's about space where employees want to be, and not just to work. That's why we're excited to present Bisnow's second annual Orange County Evolution of Office beginning at 7:30am on Sept. 17 at Bixby Land's Avalon, at 1501 Quail St in Newport Beach.

Among our speakers will be Harbor Associates principal Joon Choi, who tells us the process of developing creative office is evolving, and instead of delivering a one-size-fits-all solution, the goal is to collaborate with creative tenants to "deliver unique buildings that relate to their culture through color and graphics, signage and branding opportunities, and customizable amenity spaces." Snapped: Harbor Associates principals and founders Justin Loiacono, Paul Miszkowicz and Joon.

In terms of site selection, creative office users are trending towards Class-B buildings with character, Joon says—a place where users can have prominent identity within a lower-scale project and also be near like-minded innovators. Harbor is at work creating such space. In the past month, the company has acquired three low-rise B+ buildings in creative hubs in the Greater Airport Area, South Orange County and Sorrento Mesa submarkets, including 14201 Franklin (pictured), a vacant, 40k SF former R&D building in Tustin, for $6M. The building will be transformed into a creative office campus.

New creative spaces are getting leasing results. Recently Cie Digital Labs, an interactive development firm and technology startup studio, inked a 13k SF five-year lease at Newport Gateway in Irvine, which owner Irvine Co renovated into more tech-friendly space (hardly its only such project in the region). Irvine Co Office Properties EVP Steve Case tells us the firm created gathering places for customers to innovate, collaborate and socialize in a more relaxed way. NAI Capital SVP Tom Nguyen repped Cie Digital in the deal.

Cie Digital is the fourth tech company in six months to lease at Newport Gateway, moving from Long Beach. Among other things, Irvine Co completed a revamped conference center at the property, and added an outdoor space with WiFi, a fitness center and a game room. Mfour, a mobile market research company, leased 14k SF; Click Software expanded and now occupies 9,400 SF; and Oculus, which was recently acquired by Facebook, subleased 30k SF to Acorn Group, which specializes in mobile investment applications. Oculus still occupies 10k SF at Newport Gateway. Come hear more at Bisnow's second annual Orange County Evolution of Office beginning at 7:30am on Sept. 17 at Bixby Land's Avalon, at 1501 Quail St in Newport Beach. Sign up here.