Cambridge, Downtown, the Seaport – that is what a lot of people have been talking about with the uptick in the market over the last five years. But our research has shown another trend occurring simultaneously – tenants opting to set up shop in developments that mimic city life but are located in the suburbs. Or, in other words, the urbanization of the suburban landscape.

The knocks on suburban office space are well known – dreary, boring and a place you come to work for eight hours and then leave the second the clock hits 5 p.m. But smart developers are trying to change that by creating urbanized complexes that redefine the suburban workspace by making it a place people actually want to go even after they’re off work.

The best example of this is The District in Burlington.

This 1.1 million-square-foot development is just 15 miles from Boston and not only features premier workspace and 30,000 square feet of retail, but it also has a highly walkable environment with plenty of open space. More importantly, it features high-end restaurants like Island Creek Oyster Bar, Pressed café, Tavern on the Square and Tuscan Kitchen – that all draw a crowd long after workers have clocked out at night.

The District runs a designated shuttle service from the complex to the MBTA red line station in Alewife, making it easy for people to get to and from Boston. But by offering enhanced fitness centers, spin studios, yoga and even bike sharing, the whole idea is to bring a city feel to the suburbs and make people feel they don’t have to go anywhere because all their needs are being met.

While commercial development is booming in cities like Waltham, which enjoys close proximity to Boston and access to major highways, development there is sprawling and most people still rely on cars even if they’re just going for drinks after work.

The District and some other developments tap into this idea of connectivity – that people want to be connected to one another, to vibrancy and to life “beyond the traditional 9-5.” By creating developments like The District, it gives these “mini cities” their own culture which, in turn, breathes life into the idea of the urban landscape theme.

The benefits to employees and consumers are obvious, and suburban projects with that “urban” feel will continue to be successful. There are some significant gating factors for those suburban tenants considering a migration east – overall higher occupancy costs, fewer options to consider, disruption to their workforce – and this urbanization of the suburban landscape should offer some relief to these problems.

By investing in suburban developments that emulate city life, developers are able to increase value by attracting and retaining tenants – and offer tenants what they are looking for. The District has accomplished this, and with the redevelopment construction of the project mostly finished, there are a variety of tenants evaluating it for their future homes.

Michael O’Leary, managing director at Cushman & Wakefield, can be reached at Michael.OLeary@cushwake.com.