The Research Consulting Services Group of Cushman &Wakefield of Connecticut reports that the county's market recoveryis in full swing, posting a 15.1% overall vacancy rate at mid-year2000, up from the 17.8% rate of last June. Recently, Insignia/ESGofficials released the firm's mid-year report noting that thecounty's office sector, particularly in White Plains, has shownvast improvement.

The area is, "an attractive place for technology companiesbecause of the tremendous fiber-optic infrastructure," says KennethM. Krasnow, regional managing director of Cushman & Wakefield'sWestchester and Connecticut Operations based here. "These highgrowth companies have been nimble enough to respond quickly whenproperties with flexible blocks of space and the righttechnological infrastructure become available."

Westchester County saw a record level of leasing activity duringthe first half of 2000, totaling 1,741,659 sf, with significantvelocity in White Plains. The city's downtown market continued totighten, with the overall vacancy rate steadily declining sincelast June from 27% to 19.7% at mid-year. Leasing in the WhitePlains CBD totaled 647,053 sf, accounting for over one-third ofcounty transactions, more than double that of last year.