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Robust leasing activity at new office properties has continued in Portland, with buildings in the Central Business District showing particular strength.

Tech firms and other tenants have provided ample demand for Class A office space. Amazon‘s lease of 83,995 square feet at Broadway Tower, NW Natural‘s lease of 183,500 square feet at 250 Taylor and McAfee‘s lease of 98,820 square feet in Hillsboro were among the major commitments in recent months.

Demand is being driven by so-called 鈥淭AMI鈥� tenants 鈥� those in the technology, advertising, media and information industries, said Kevin Kaufman, vice president at CBRE.

鈥淭enants are still looking to their space as a tool to recruit and retain top talent, and so building owners continue to add amenities and provide third spaces,鈥� or nontraditional work spaces, he said.

Deliveries of new space are expected to continue apace this year, but preleasing activity is buoying new projects.

鈥淎t least 75 percent of office (space) under construction to be delivered in 2018 is preleased,鈥� Kaufman said. 鈥淲hile you’re seeing lots of new construction, it does not necessarily translate to downward pressure on rents.鈥�

Net absorption totaled 233,789 square feet during the fourth quarter.

Co-working space also continues to provide significant demand, with companies such as WeWork and CENTRL, which took space in the Menashe Properties building in the West End, looking to expand.

Average lease rates during the fourth quarter of 2017 rose 7.5 percent from a year earlier, to $27.66 per square foot, according to a CBRE report. That was also up 1.2 percent compared to the previous quarter.

Office space continues to be attractive to prospective buyers, as well. The 884,941-square-foot Wells Fargo Center, in downtown, sold for $212 per square foot.

Meanwhile, developers have pointed to a lack of available land that has driven up prices for existing industrial space. Supply began to catch up to demand, with some industrial spaces remaining empty upon delivery in the fourth quarter, according to a JLL report. Still, vacancy was tight at 3.8 percent. Nearly 3.6 million square feet of industrial space was under construction.

The U.S. Postal Service is building a new distribution center near Portland International Airport, and e-commerce continues to drive demand for distribution facilities.

The Rivergate Industrial District near the airport was the scene of significant activity, with rents up 9 percent in the Port of Portland-owned submarket, according to JLL.