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KansasMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriMultifamily

Multifamily Is Needed for All Income Levels in Kansas City

by Kristin Harlow

By Doug Stockman, Helix Architecture + Design Straddling two states, Kansas City is one of the country’s most distinctive real estate markets. Since 1992, our firm has designed workplace, cultural, higher education and multifamily projects of all types in the city, with specialized expertise in adaptive reuse. We see multifamily as the most active segment in 2026.  Compared with other states, Missouri’s support for new housing projects is about average. Kansas is near the bottom, because the state lacks the revenue to incentivize housing. Inventory on the Kansas side is also less, with most multifamily housing located outside the city. Looking ahead, low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) incentives will ideally accelerate Kansas City’s biggest market demand — affordable housing. The Kansas City Affordable Housing Set-Aside Ordinance presents some obstacles. To receive city subsidies, multifamily developments must have 12 or more units, 20 percent of which need to be affordable for households earning 60 percent or less of the area median income (AMI). Alternately, developers can pay $100,000 into the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.  Further, developers must navigate a complex process of zoning approvals and community engagement meetings that culminates with a city council hearing. If approved, developers on the Missouri …

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Market ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriMixed-Use

Kansas City Leads By Example: How to Balance Growth and Heritage in Legacy Neighborhoods

by Kristin Harlow

By Graham Smith, Multistudio A national shift is underway, and it starts with how cities listen. Across the country, communities and development teams are rethinking how reinvestment happens in legacy neighborhoods shaped by deep cultural identity but burdened by decades of underinvestment. These districts often hold irreplaceable history, yet for years they were sidelined by capital markets that prioritized scale, speed and uniformity over context and continuity. Historically, redevelopment in these areas followed a familiar pattern: projects designed first and explained later. Too often, that sequence displaced cultural institutions, local businesses and social networks that gave neighborhoods their meaning. Today, rising expectations around equitable development and renewed interest in urban cores are forcing a different calculus. Community engagement is no longer a step at the end of a project. It is a strategic input that shapes outcomes, reduces risk and strengthens long-term value. Intentional reinvestment Kansas City offers a timely example of how intentional process can align with market opportunity. After years of downtown population growth, expanded transit infrastructure and rising global visibility ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, long deferred reinvestment became feasible. Local leaders recognized that this momentum created an opportunity to reinvest in the historic 18th …

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IowaMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMinnesotaMissouriOfficeOhioWisconsin

Midwest Office Markets Face Mounting Pressure

by Kristin Harlow

By David Goldfisher, The Henley Group Secondary and tertiary office markets across the Midwest, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and St. Louis, are facing mounting pressure. While each city has its own challenges, a common theme is clear — vacancies remain high and liquidity is thin. Tenant shuffling One of the defining dynamics today is tenant reshuffling rather than net growth. As leases expire, employers frequently move from one building to another, seeking modernized space and stronger amenities. Renovating in place is disruptive and costly, while relocating allows businesses to upgrade with minimal operational downtime. This “musical chairs” effect highlights a deeper structural issue. There are only so many large anchor tenants in Midwest cities and few new entrants are seeking major blocks of space. There is more repositioning for existing tenants than attracting new ones. Flight to quality Landlords and developers are competing to deliver amenities that encourage office attendance and support talent retention. Modernized lobbies, tenant lounges and flexible collaboration areas have become standard expectations. Hines’ upgrades at Chicago’s 333 West Wacker Drive and 601W Cos.’ reinvestment in the Old Post Office demonstrate the scale of investment required. But not all landlords can compete. With …

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Market ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriRetail

Redevelopment Projects to Reshape St. Louis Retail Corridors

by Kristin Harlow

By Emily Ackley, NAI DESCO The St. Louis retail market could be perceived as a contrasting story — national headlines continue to spotlight store closures and shifting consumer habits, and yet on the ground, St. Louis is working to write a quite different narrative.  Vacancy rates remain tight, redevelopment projects are reshaping corridors and both suburban and urban districts are evolving to meet the demands of today’s consumers. It is not a market without its challenges, but St. Louis retail is far from stagnant.  Market conditions As of the second quarter of 2025, the St. Louis retail market experienced a dynamic shift as a result of low vacancy rates, evolving consumer behavior and significant redevelopment projects across the St. Louis MSA.  The overall retail vacancy rate stands at 4.7 percent, reflecting a 40-basis-point decrease quarter over quarter and an 80-basis-point decrease year over year, indicating a tightening market.  Leasing activity remains robust, particularly in suburban areas of St. Louis, such as West County and St. Charles County, where vacancy rates have decreased by up to 140 basis points in the past year.  This is being supported by a combination of steady population growth in the suburbs, shifting migration patterns and …

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KansasMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriRetail

Mixed-Use Projects, Big Box Vacancies Provide Opportunities in Kansas City Retail

by Kristin Harlow

By Lindy Beyer and Matt Rau, CBRE Kansas City is a special place. We have long been known for our renowned barbecue, jazz and most recently, as the city where Taylor Swift’s fiancé works. Retail is at the core of our city, attracting visitors from all over the world to experience our city’s welcoming and rich culture.  As the metro area has grown, so has the retail market. We are currently experiencing a period of robust growth, fueled by a combination of strong suburban demand, exciting new mixed-use developments and the appeal of big box vacancies. Sports have been an additional driver as the city continues to invest in its athletic and entertainment offerings. These venues attract large crowds — generating foot traffic and boosting sales for nearby retailers.  Retail occupancy rates in Kansas City have increased from 93 percent to 95.1 percent in the last five years, showing the strong overall demand in the market. This is especially notable as there have been over 2.6 million square feet of new retail space delivered over that same time frame, with a large portion contained in mixed-use developments.  Overall growth in the Kansas City submarkets has triggered a higher demand for …

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KansasMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriOffice

From Stability to Selective Growth: Kansas City’s Office Market in Focus

by Kristin Harlow

By Anné Erickson, JLL Kansas City’s appeal is catching the attention of companies looking for more than just square footage. From corporate relocations like Fiserv and expansions by Propio Language Services, to a deep talent pool, business-friendly environment and central location, the metro is emerging as a strategic choice for growth. These factors are fueling activity in a market already defined by stable fundamentals, headline lease transactions and a strong flight-to-quality trend. While the overall vacancy rate remained at 20.2 percent according to JLL’s Q2 2025 Kansas City Office Market Dynamics report, the quarter delivered 192,000 square feet of positive net absorption, reversing early-year declines. Average asking rents held steady at $22.98 per square foot, signaling stability despite the competitive environment. For tenants seeking to secure best-in-class space, and investors targeting properties with long-term upside, Kansas City is increasingly worth a closer look. Flight to quality One of the clearest shifts in recent quarters has been the move toward high-quality, well-located buildings that can support hybrid work, collaboration and tenant amenities. After several years of shorter lease terms and cautious decision-making, companies are now committing to space that reflects their long-term workplace strategies. This was evident in several major second-quarter …

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Market ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriOffice

From Surplus to Scarcity: The Surge of Prime Office Leasing in St. Louis

by Kristin Harlow

By Brian Lyss and Joshua Allen, CBRE St. Louis is typical of Midwest markets in that most of its office product continues to age. In fact, 73 percent of existing office supply in St. Louis was constructed before the 1990s. In a post-pandemic environment, users are seeking out amenity-rich prime space. Out of 53 million square feet of office product in St. Louis, 2.6 million square feet is considered “prime” in nature. Prime assets are the newest assets in St. Louis, located in walkable urban areas with an abundance of amenities. In early 2021, during the early stages of the pandemic, prime office availability (21.7 percent) was on par with non-prime (20.5 percent) as the market became increasingly concerned about the future of office use. Over the past 36 months, this surplus of available office has quickly turned into a shortage of prime assets. There has been virtually no new office construction in St. Louis, hitting the lowest levels on record. This fact guarantees that prime office space will remain tight until we see new construction begin to come out of the ground. Even if new construction does commence, the construction and lending environment is such that rates are anticipated …

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IndustrialMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouri

Missouri’s Pro-Business Climate Is Just Right for Industrial Developers

by Kristin Harlow

By Mike Stromberg, Opus Kansas City made the list of emerging industrial markets back in 2016, and over the last nine years has more than proven itself to be a viable, profitable and competitive environment for development.  Many rightly attribute the market’s continued growth to its central location within the U.S. as well as its transportation infrastructure, which includes the city’s location on the largest navigable inland waterway, at the cross-section of three interstate highways and in the middle of cross-country rail corridors running from Canada to Mexico and from coast to coast. These are unquestionably appealing features for businesses that want and need to quickly distribute products and access customers. Other qualities often lauded include a strong skilled labor pool with an estimated 2.4 million people — nearly 23 percent between the ages of 18 to 34 — living within a 50-mile radius of the city; a cost of living up to 14 percent lower than the national average; a historically low unemployment rate; and increasing wages above the national average.  What really puts Kansas City on the map for developers, though, is how the state of Missouri has created a pro-business environment that leverages and advances these strengths. …

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KansasMarket ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriRetail

What’s Driving New Growth in Metro Kansas City?

by Kristin Harlow

By Garrett Cohoon, Block & Co. Inc. Realtors The commercial real estate activity in the Kansas City metropolitan area showed substantial growth in 2024 for the retail, multifamily and industrial sectors. The office sector is still seeing record vacancy rates, but the annual loss over 2023 is slowing down. According to CoStar, the office vacancy rate for 2024 is up 11.8 percent in Kansas City while the national index is at a 13.9 percent increase. That’s only 0.5 percent higher than last year in Kansas City and we expect to see that trend turn around in the next year.  The retail sector saw new brands like Aritzia grow into the Kansas City market. Whataburger opened its 14th location in the past two years as drive-thru restaurants have continued to be a preference for consumers and investors alike. Wellness-based businesses and health clinics have also made good strides in the market.  Kansas City has seen an increase in new experiential attractions this year, including national businesses like Puttery minigolf, Andretti indoor karting and SandBox VR. These new attractions have been key to many new development complexes and redevelopments of existing strip centers. Mattel also announced a new adventure park to be …

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Market ReportsMidwestMidwest Market ReportsMissouriRetail

Record-Low Vacancy, Rent Growth Define St. Louis Retail Market

by Kristin Harlow

By Grant Mechlin, Sansone Group The St. Louis retail market showed impressive resilience in the second quarter of 2024, thanks to strong consumer spending and growing demand across various sectors. Despite challenges such as higher borrowing costs and persistent inflation, the market tightened considerably, with availability dropping to a record low 4.8 percent and well below the five-year average, according to CoStar. This strong absorption has persisted for nine consecutive quarters, highlighting the market’s ongoing strength. A major factor behind this is the limited new supply — only 770,000 square feet of retail space was added in the past year, with nearly all of it quickly absorbed, according to CoStar.  This scarcity has fueled development, especially in areas like quick-service restaurants, banks and discount retailers, as tenants are forced to explore new construction as the only viable option to combat a lack of supply in the market. Meanwhile, the overall prices of goods and services in the St. Louis area saw a 3.4 percent rise over the past year, according to the Consumer Price Index.  While food costs came down slightly, there was a 5.4 percent increase in energy costs and 4.3 percent for all other consumer expenditures.   Despite …

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