The pulse of commercial real estate

The office parks get built. The big-box stores open their doors. But these days, the hard work is still ahead. What happens when tenants are scarce, or when they move out? Owners of commercial properties must get creative. Here's  how both owners and tenants are coping these days - or not - in the Philadelphia region's commercial real estate market.

INQUIRER SPECIAL REPORT: Commercial Real Estate's Troubles

Commercial real estate facing worse days

Nov. 8: It's just a hint of the harrowing state of affairs in commercial real estate, where vacancies are on the rise across virtually all sectors, rents and property values are dropping, building owners are low on funds, and financing options are drying up. Read the article

A vacant village

Nov. 8: At 750,000 square feet, with stores and restaurants arrayed along narrow streets and landscaped plazas to evoke a quaint village, Providence Town Center seems deserving of its own zip code. The leasing broker would settle for more occupants. Read the article

Charm offensive: Seeking success closer to the ground

Nov. 8: George E. Marks seems entirely too cheerful for an owner of office developments. His specialty is the smaller professional-office market, where users' needs are typically accommodated in less than 10,000 square feet. Read the article

Falls Center undergoing new transformation

Nov. 8: The historic location of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania is becoming a medical and educational complex. Despite a bad commercial real estate market, the center continues to attract new tenants. Read the article

Multifamily market also struggling