Duke Energy is officially without a corporate headquarters - at least for now. The company says all its employees have now moved out of the uptown Charlotte office tower that has been known as Duke Energy Center.
Most now are working either remotely or at two other Duke offices uptown while they wait for completion of the company's new headquarters, the 40-story Duke Energy Plaza on South Tryon Street. The new building is across the street from the former headquarters, where Duke ended its lease on Dec. 31.
When it opens in 2023, the new headquarters will house about 4,400 of Duke's 6,000 uptown Charlotte employees and contractors. Not all will have permanent desks, spokesman Neil Nissan said Tuesday.
"We’ll be in a hybrid work environment in the new building where employees will be in the office a few days a week and work remotely a few days a week," Nissan said in an email.
Duke Energy employees are beginning to return to offices, though the company has set a 50% limit on its existing facilities. Headquarters employees are dispersed among other buildings uptown, including 526 South Church St. and 400 South Tryon Street.
Duke is in the midst of consolidating its office space uptown. It has said it expects to save $90 million over five years by reducing its Charlotte office space by 60%.
In September, the company announced plans to sell two uptown properties - 526 south Church St. and 400 South College St., near the convention center. It also plans to exit its lease at 400 South Tryon St.
Duke had leased the former headquarters building from Wells Fargo & Co. Wells has said it plans to move its own employees to the building.
