Here in San Diego, we have a lot of empty commercial space downtown. But I see new commercial space being built. The city never seems to lack for someone who wants to build a mall, and can get zoned for it. I think the underlying governmental theory is that new commercial space will produce higher tax revenues and so its creation ought to be encouraged . . . by zoning and in some cases by eminent domain. But I don't really know the political ins and outs. chorale and I go about, though, mocking the city of the empty shopping mall or office building.

There may have been some effect from the housing bubble. I've read that it's starting to turn into a commercial real estate collapse as well, though more slowly.