Description
Commercial leasing activity across the First District of the Federal reserve was flat to down in recent weeks, in line with typical seasonal patterns. In Hartford, leasing activity saw a modest seasonal slow-down in December and business sentiment held steady. Activity slowed modestly in Providence as well, also in line with year-end expectations, but deals in the works as of the previous report moved forward as expected and pending deals are set to boost absorption of Class A office space in the first quarter of 2012.
Greater Portland also registered a modest seasonal leasing slowdown in December, but saw a decline in the office vacancy rate on a year-over-year basis, to 10.8 percent from 11.2 percent. Boston’s leasing market held roughly steady, with modest positive absorption in suburban corridors as well as in the sought-after neighborhoods of Back Bay and East Cambridge. Rents remain flat for downtown office space on lower floors of buildings but are rising for upper-floor space in prime high-rise structures. Despite positive absorption in 2011, one contact says Boston’s downtown office vacancy rate remains undesirably high at about 16 percent.
