Despite shrinking demand, the Chicago suburban office vacancy rate fell slightly, largely because of a decline in available inventory.
Some 23.3 percent of space was vacant in the fourth quarter, down slightly from 23.7 percent at then end of the third quarter, according to JLL, reported by Crain’s.
Demand was down, with a total of nearly 1 million square feet more of available space in 2018 than the year before.
But the market was able to withstand that thanks to the elimination of more than 1 million square feet of offices from the market, according to JLL.
The O’Hare submarket continued to lead the way in the suburbs, with a 15.1 percent vacancy rate at the end of the quarter. The northwest suburban submarket had the highest rate at 30.7 percent. [Crain’s] — John O’Brien