The space left behind by the tobacco industry in downtown Durham, North Carolina has lately been some of the most desirable commercial real estate in the Research Triangle area. According to Karnes Research, while office vacancy Triangle-wide rose to a four-year high of 15.4% at the end of March, downtown Durham has seen vacancy drop significantly from 16.1% in Q1 ‘08 to 10.8% in Q1 ‘09. Over the past several years, the City of Durham has invested at least $1.2 billion in infrastructure and amenities such as parking decks, a new performing arts center, transportation depots, a central park and street improvements. The city has also offered incentives to companies considering a move to Durham. The outlook for success is becoming brighter all the time as development of the historic district continues to draw commitments from the business community.

Case in point, today The American Tobacco District became the new home of The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. The firm is moving 100 employees from Imperial Center, near Reasearch Triangle Park, to Durham’s Diamond View II office building. The new location is close to many of the city’s downtown attractions, and is just beyond the outfield wall at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The office’s proximity to the Durham County courthouse, as well as dining and leisure activities in the renovated historic district, provides a strategic advantage in attracting and entertaining the company’s clients.

Another recent arrival to downtown Durham is Burt’s Bees, a maker of natural beauty products. The company doubled its foot print last month by moving from Keystone Park, near RTP, to 61,040 square feet at the American Tobacco Historic District. In a more gradual move, Duke University has been expanding it’s center-city presence by 68%, filling 200,000 square feet of office space over the past 18 months.

Read more about The American Tobacco Historic District…