Midwest

By Jim Adler, NAI Hiffman For decades, suburban Chicago’s office market was defined by abundance. Corporate campuses, office parks and multi-building complexes supported a workforce that spent most of its week in the office. Today, hybrid work has reshaped office demand, while investors and landlords have become increasingly selective about where they deploy capital. Well-located, amenity-rich properties continue to attract investment and tenants, while aging buildings face growing pressure to compete. Recent market performance reflects this divide. While suburban vacancy remains elevated at 26.7 percent, Class A properties posted 43,337 square feet of positive absorption during the third quarter, while Class B buildings recorded negative absorption of 26,098 square feet. Reinvestment and winners Despite elevated vacancy rates, leasing activity is healthier than many headlines suggest. Class A office leasing in suburban Chicago increased 16.6 percent year over year to 644,228 square feet through third-quarter 2026, up from 552,698 square feet a year earlier.  Although Class A leasing remains down 11.3 percent year to date, its share of third-quarter leasing rose to 57.3 percent from 54.3 percent a year ago. The shift suggests that larger tenants are increasingly exploring higher-quality buildings they may have overlooked previously. Inland Real Estate Group’s approximately …