CHICAGO-The pool of potential anchor tenants is drying up quickly, brokers on a Chicago Real Estate Organization panel suggest. Still, buildings that lost tenants to anchor newer projects are left with challenges.

BOSTON-When sublease space is added in, 35.1% of the Route 495 West submarket's 7.9-million-sf is vacant, according to Grubb & Ellis research, while the 6.6-million-sf Route 495 North submarket posts a 29.3% vacancy rate.

BOSTON-Vacancy in the Central Business District stands at 12.2%, according to Grubb & Ellis, but sublease space adds another 5.5 percentage points to the total. Vacancy could crack 20% in the next year, the firm warns.

BOSTON-The area trails Washington, DC, Orange County and San Diego in Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Brokerage Co.'s 2003 National Retail Index, moving up three spots from last year.

SCHAUMBURG, IL-Not only does the pharmaceutical company extend its lease term at the Woodfield Corporate Center, it also adds 20,000 sf within Hines Interests' 117,200-sf building.

CHICAGO-"Four to six proposals" were received on the St. Laurence Church property at 7140 S. Dorchester Ave., the Assumption/St. Catherine of Genoa Church property at 640 W. 118th St. and the St. Leo the Great Church property at 7747 S. Emerald Ave., which went on the market earlier this year.

CHICAGO-Theater groups and health clubs are among the possible tenants for the 12,500 sf of first-floor retail space, while 22 loft condominiums priced up to $450,000 will fill the upper three floors of 4840 N. Broadway.

BOSTON-The developer of the 37-unit Mountfort Street Apartments, being built along the boundary between Boston and the neighboring suburb of Brookline, gets a construction loan at LIBOR plus 265 basis points, which currently is less than 4%.