By Eliot Brown | The Wall Street Journal
Employers took on 8.2 million square feet of additional office space in the second quarter, marking one of the stronger periods since the recession but a relatively modest expansion by historical standards, according to real-estate research service Reis Inc.
The increase left the overall office vacancy rate flat for the quarter at 16.6%, which is just a nudge down from the peak of 17.6% reached in 2010, according to Reis, which tracks 79 markets. Rents rose to an average of $24.60 a square foot, up 3.2% over the past 12 months.