As Retail Shifts to Trendy Urban and Suburban Areas, What About Downtown Districts?

The challenges confronting America’s downtowns often stem from the considerable amount of vacant office space in towering buildings. Yet, another critical aspect of downtown revitalization involves addressing the growing vacancy in retail spaces across cities nationwide. Once vibrant shopping hubs, downtowns have lost appeal to many retailers due to shifting population and demographic trends, a trend predating the Covid-19 pandemic. Even suburban retail areas have encountered difficulties, with U.S. malls recording an average vacancy rate of 8.7% in 2023 — the highest among all retail property types tracked by Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (NYSE: JLL). The post-pandemic retail landscape continues to evolve, with retailers and restaurateurs increasingly opting for high-end, open-air lifestyle centers in suburbs or trendy urban neighborhoods adjacent to, but not necessarily within, central business districts.

*Article courtesy of New York Business Journal

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