SEATTLE-While an uptick in hiring is expected to boost the Eastside office market, construction of Washington Mutual's 890,000-sf building along Second Avenue will likely cast a shadow over the Downtown submarket.

CHICAGO-Freeborn & Peters spent two years weighing its options before extending a 110,000-sf deal, the largest leased space block at the 65-story building acquired by Walton Street Capital for $275 million this year.

SEATTLE-The overall industrial vacancy rate stands at 10.7% as 2003 comes to a close, according to Grubb & Ellis' 2004 forecast report. The 70-million-sf, "Close-In" submarket appears to be leading the upswing.

BOLINGBROOK, IL-The 111,570-sf asset was on the market at $13 million, and sold at an 8% capitalization rate after NAI Hiffman VP Tobin B. Knight signed Food-4-Less as the new anchor tenant, replacing Dominick's in the 62,750-sf space.

SEATTLE-A 2004 forecast by Grubb & Ellis suggests office tenants "will want to lock in favorable terms and concessions while they still can" even though rental rates have room to drop further.

CHICAGO-The Lake Calumet Planned Manufacturing District would help keep large parcels of land on the far southeast side of the city earmarked for industrial and manufacturing use.

PARK RIDGE, IL-Aldermen have asked five development teams to offer their ideas on the redevelopment of a 5.5-acre city-owned site formerly occupied by two automobile dealerships.

NILES, IL-The Oak Brook-based REIT acquires an 85,000-sf warehouse on 3.8 acres at 7500 N. Caldwell Ave., which it will renovate for a new tenant. The Bannockburn office of CB Richard Ellis also sells a 65,000-sf asset in far northwest suburban Cary.