Is State Street Becoming One Big Food Court?

This time last year, 32 commercial vacancies blighted State Street, the beating heart of Santa Barbara’s commercial core. The figure, even then, was alarmingly high. Now, with COVID upending the economy, the number of State Street vacancies has increased to 42. 

Based on previous counts, that appears to be a new modern record. “It’s not our finest hour,” said Radius Commercial Real Estate broker Brad Frohling during an economic forecast webinar this Tuesday. “It’s a really challenging time, and that’s just the truth of it.”