COLUMBUS—Since 2010, the vacancy rate among industrial properties here sank from 12.4% to around 6.0%, a decline that far outpaced the national average.

CHICAGO—Chicago commercial construction is having its busiest year since the recession began in 2008, which is driving up prices for materials and services.

CHICAGO—Consumer demand for quick delivery has distributors looking for new sites close to city dwellers.

CHICAGO—The investment management firm targets asset classes that are less susceptible to volatility associated with the overall economy.

CHICAGO—The massive e-commerce firm has already opened a fulfillment center in Southeast Wisconsin, and has settled on a site in the I-80 Corridor.

KANSAS CITY—Institutional investors have a growing interest in this sector, which experts expect to grow tremendously as users put increased emphasis on cloud computing.

MINNEAPOLIS—Shorenstein has brought a number of improvements to the 51-story tower, although reports say a $280 million sale just fell through.

CHICAGO—Investors are not only buying up corporate-owned properties, they have also started to buy up outlets run by franchisees.