Suburban Chicago Office Market Cools Off During First Half of 2012
The suburban Chicago office market hit a plateau during the first half of 2012. The overall availability rate has remained unchanged from the first to the second quarter of 2012, resulting in a mid-year figure of 27.3%. This remains slightly higher than the 26.8% statistic at year-end 2011. The overall vacancy rate also remained stable during the second quarter at 23.2%.
During 2011 there were many large tenant relocations that reflected both pent up demand coming out of the financial crisis, as well as the plentiful availability of attractive second-generation space. In many cases, this space was not only well located in Class A buildings, but it also included furniture and upgraded wiring. This added significant appeal and helped motivate tenants to make longer-term commitments.
