Across the country, the commercial real estate industry is having issues. It’s been years since COVID-19, and landlords and lenders are still having trouble filling vacant space. In many cases, they’re having to sell properties at a loss. According to the firm CoStar Analytics, office vacancy rates are expected to remain firm at around 14% for the rest of 2026.
Yet this problem is not taking the same shape in Charlotte. Companies have flocked to the region lately — from Scout Motors to SMBC Bank, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase — all have announced plans to bring jobs to the area. With these new jobs, they’re leasing office space in neighborhoods across the city.
Still, parts of Charlotte remain a question mark. For example, some vacant office space is being turned into housing and hotel space. Will that work? And, of course, there's the ongoing question of the Epicentre.
We dive into all that and more next time on Charlotte Talks.
GUESTS:
Ashley Fahey, managing editor of The Charlotte Ledger.
Peter Grant, commercial real estate reporter at The Wall Street Journal.
