Illinois Quick Hits: Downtown Chicago office vacancies hit another record high

Illinois Quick Hits: Downtown Chicago office vacancies hit another record high

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – Downtown Chicago’s office vacancy rate has risen to a record high for the 15th consecutive quarter.

Crain’s Chicago Business reports that vacancies climbed to 28.6% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 28.2% at the end of 2025.

TEACHERS UNION OBTAINS RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST CHICAGO FLIPS RED

A court hearing is scheduled for April 22 after the Chicago Teachers Union obtained a workplace protection restraining order against Chicago Flips Red founder Zoe Leigh.

The order alleges that Leigh made repeated threats of violence while protesting outside CTU headquarters “almost every week” from January 5 through March 23.

Chicago Flips Red Vice President Danielle Carter-Walters said in a social media post that CTU doesn’t want CFR talking about child sexual misconduct cases in Chicago Public Schools that taxpayers are paying for.

STUDY: IL ALCOHOL USE DROPS

A new report says 54.5% of Illinois adults drink alcohol, down from 60.7% in 2018.

Using data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Trace One cited shifting cultural norms and the expanding market for alcohol alternatives.

Nationally, 51.1% of adults reported alcohol use.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

U.S. rep.: Mexico still not delivering water to South Texas, despite claims

U.S. rep.: Mexico still not delivering water to South Texas, despite claims

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Despite repeated claims by Trump administration officials, Mexico is not delivering water as promised to South Texas in accordance with a long-standing treaty. In January,...
Supporters say will storage option would streamline judicial process

Supporters say will storage option would streamline judicial process

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Supporters say an Illinois House bill allowing county clerks to develop a will depository would streamline judicial...
Dallas Fed: Geopolitical conflicts creating uncertainty for U.S. oil and gas industry

Dallas Fed: Geopolitical conflicts creating uncertainty for U.S. oil and gas industry

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square A new quarterly Dallas Fed Energy Survey indicates the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran and other geopolitical conflicts are negatively impacting and creating uncertainty for the...
Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker pushes for E15

Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker pushes for E15

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is asking leaders of the U.S. House on Environment and Public Works Committee...
Lincoln Way West Warriors Softball

Lincoln-Way West Blanks Rival Lincoln-Way Central 10-0 in WJOL Tournament

The Lincoln-Way West varsity softball team continued its dominant spring on Wednesday evening, rolling to a 10-0 shutout victory over cross-town rival Lincoln-Way Central. Competing in the WJOL Tournament, the...
Lincoln Way West Warriors Baseball

Southside (AL) Outlasts Lincoln-Way West 6-4 Despite Howard’s Power Surge

A monster offensive performance by Jacob Howard wasn't enough to propel the Lincoln-Way West varsity baseball team to victory, as they fell 6-4 to Southside in a hard-fought neutral-site contest....
Board Book

Manhattan School District Adopts BoardBook Premier to Digitize Meetings and Enhance Public Transparency

Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | March 25, 2026 Article Summary: To modernize operations and improve public access to information, the Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education completed a live...
Screenshot 2026-03-29 at 4.44.29 PM

Local Farmer Pitches Farmland Preservation Program to Combat Will County Industrialization

Village of Manhattan Meeting | March 16, 2026 Article Summary: A local farmer and Will County Planning and Zoning Commissioner urged the Manhattan Village Board to support a new farmland preservation...
Trump addresses nation on Iran strikes; signals conflict nearing end

Trump addresses nation on Iran strikes; signals conflict nearing end

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Just over a month after Operation Epic Fury began, President Donald Trump Wednesday proclaimed U.S. strikes on Iran are nearing completion, while telling allies to...
IL biometrics privacy reforms apply to past cases, too: Appeals court

IL biometrics privacy reforms apply to past cases, too: Appeals court

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Pending class action lawsuits under Illinois' stringent biometrics privacy law may have become significantly less lucrative, after a federal appeals court declared...
Artemis II heads to the moon with first crewed mission since 1972

Artemis II heads to the moon with first crewed mission since 1972

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square America is going back to the moon, after Artemis II lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday evening, more than five decades after Americans last...
Pro-life org to Trump: Taxpayers should not be forced to fund killing of unborn children

Pro-life org to Trump: Taxpayers should not be forced to fund killing of unborn children

By Tate MillerThe Center Square The Trump administration’s decision to send tax dollars to the abortion industry by continuing former President Joe Biden’s Title X grant awards to Planned Parenthood...
Birthright citizenship advocates confident in SCOTUS hearing

Birthright citizenship advocates confident in SCOTUS hearing

By Emily RodriguezThe Center Square Advocates cheered after the Supreme Court heard a case to determine the constitutional validity of President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship. Dozens...
College funding bill draws dissent from big Illinois universities

College funding bill draws dissent from big Illinois universities

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Lawmakers questioned Illinois university leaders about a contentious bill that adjusts how new money is allocated to...
Illinois quick hits: Chicago announces $300 million housing spend; Rockford men faces cocaine trafficking charges; State to honor troopers killed in the ling of duty

Illinois quick hits: Chicago announces $300 million housing spend; Rockford men faces cocaine trafficking charges; State to honor troopers killed in the ling of duty

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Chicago announces $300 million housing spend Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Housing say they will invest more than...