Northbrook, IL Office Space for Lease: 2026 Costs, Buildings and Rents

Data as of October 2026 | Last updated October 17, 2026

Net absorption was +21,300 SF over the past 12 months, available space takes 22 months on average to lease, and nothing new is under construction. Tenant Advisors, Inc. represents only tenants in Northbrook and the North Suburbs office market, at no cost to tenants. Call (847) 778-0296.

Northbrook is the North Shore market that holds its tenants. Almost two-thirds renew, so landlords expect you to stay, and the only way to change that math is to show them a real alternative in Deerfield or Glenview.

Tom Koelzer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Tenant Advisors

Key Takeaways

• Vacancy is 20.0%, down 0.8 points in a year, across 2.7 million SF.
• Class A asks about $36–$44/SF gross; Class B about $24–$32/SF.
• Availability, counting space coming available, is 28.5%.
• Net absorption was +21,300 SF over the past 12 months; about 137,000 SF was leased.
• Most available space in one building: ~169,000 SF (West Plaza, 3100 Sanders Rd.).

Northbrook Office Market Facts and Figures

Tenant Advisors tracks multi-tenant office buildings of 5,000 SF and larger in Northbrook, the competitive set where most tenants of 3,000 to 50,000 SF lease space. Owner-occupied buildings are excluded.

Metric	Northbrook
Tracked buildings	34
Total inventory	2.7 million SF
Vacancy rate	20.0% (20.8% one year ago)
Availability rate	28.5%
Net absorption, trailing 12 months	+21,300 SF
Space leased, trailing 12 months	137,000 SF
Class A asking rent	$36–$44/SF gross
Class B asking rent	$24–$32/SF gross
Free rent	1–2 months per lease year
Tenant improvement allowance	$35–$65/SF for full build-outs, 5+ year terms
Average months on market	21.7
Lease renewal rate, past 24 months	64%
Sublease space available	171,000 SF
New construction	None
Most available space in one building	~169,000 SF (West Plaza, 3100 Sanders Rd.)

Figures reflect Tenant Advisors’ market tracking of multi-tenant office buildings 5,000 SF and larger in Northbrook. Rents and concessions are Tenant Advisors’ tracked-transaction ranges, quoted full-service gross. Data is updated quarterly.

What Does Office Space Cost Per Month in Northbrook?

A 5,000 SF office in Northbrook costs about $15,000 to $18,350 a month in a Class A building and about $10,000 to $13,350 a month in Class B, before free rent. Those figures use Tenant Advisors’ tracked gross rents of $36 to $44/SF in Class A and $24 to $32/SF in Class B.

Office size	Class A, monthly ($36–$44/SF)	Class B, monthly ($24–$32/SF)
2,000 SF	$6,000–$7,350	$4,000–$5,350
5,000 SF	$15,000–$18,350	$10,000–$13,350
10,000 SF	$30,000–$36,650	$20,000–$26,650

Monthly rent before free rent and improvement allowances. Gross rent generally includes real estate taxes and building operating expenses.

Gross rent is not always the whole bill. Ask each landlord about:

• In-suite electricity, which some buildings bill separately.
• Operating expense and tax increases over the base year, which a cap can limit.
• After-hours heating and cooling charges.
• Build-out costs above the improvement allowance, plus cabling, furniture and moving.

Is Northbrook Office Space Filling Up or Emptying Out?

Holding steady. Northbrook added about 21,300 SF of occupied space over the past year, its second straight positive year, and vacancy edged down from 20.8% to 20.0%, among the lowest of the larger North Suburbs markets. Tenants leased about 137,000 SF. Availability is higher, 28.5%, because some large blocks are coming back to market before they are vacant.

What Are the Notable Office Buildings in Northbrook?

Building	Address	Size (SF)	Built	Class	% Leased	Available (SF)
West Plaza	3100 Sanders Rd.	371,393	1989	A	100%	169,410
The 400 Building	400 Skokie Blvd.	215,633	1987	A	74%	80,791
Northbrook Pointe	2215 Sanders Rd.	176,621	1978	B	10%	162,309
One Northbrook Place	5 Revere Dr.	174,978	1984	B	97%	27,514
Corporate Center II	1033 Skokie Blvd.	128,670	2001	A	91%	33,201
Corporate Center I	1101 Skokie Blvd.	127,167	2003	A	87%	30,543
Combined Centre III	707 Skokie Blvd.	123,041	1980	A	78%	50,559
Two Northbrook Place	60 Revere Dr.	122,219	1984	B	87%	15,803
3100 Dundee Rd.	3100 Dundee Rd.	115,866	1987	B	94%	9,792
Boulevard 40	40 Skokie Blvd.	108,278	1984	B	78%	31,167

Available SF includes direct and sublease space, including space coming available. Tenant Advisors market tracking, October 2026.

Skokie Boulevard corridor

Fourteen buildings along Skokie Boulevard beside the Edens total about 1.13 million SF and are about 83% leased, with about 290,000 SF available. The 400 Building (216,000 SF, about 74% leased) has the largest block, about 81,000 SF. Corporate Center I and II and Combined Centre I, II and III round out the Class A choices.

Sanders Road

Two large blocks. West Plaza at 3100 Sanders Road (371,000 SF) is fully leased today but has about 169,000 SF coming available. Northbrook Pointe at 2215 Sanders Road (177,000 SF) is about 10% leased with about 162,000 SF available, the biggest vacant block in town.

Where tenants have less leverage

One and Two Northbrook Place on Revere Drive (about 297,000 SF combined) are about 93% leased, and several smaller Skokie Boulevard buildings are 95% leased or better. Northbrook is largely a small-suite market, so good 2,000 to 5,000 SF suites move quickly.

Which Northbrook Buildings Fit Small and Large Tenants?

Small tenants do best in buildings with suites already built out, while companies needing a full floor or more should start with the buildings carrying the largest vacant blocks. Use this as a starting list; actual suites change month to month.

Space needed	Where to start looking	Why
Under 5,000 SF	Two Northbrook Place, 3100 Dundee Rd., One Northbrook Place	Well-leased buildings that suit small suites
5,000–20,000 SF	Corporate Center I and II, Combined Centre III, Boulevard 40	Partial floors with 30,000 to 50,000 SF available
20,000 SF and up	Northbrook Pointe, The 400 Building, West Plaza	The largest blocks in Northbrook; Northbrook Pointe is about 90% vacant

Is There Sublease Office Space in Northbrook?

Yes. About 171,000 SF of sublease space is available in Northbrook. Sublease space usually comes built out and often furnished, with a shorter remaining term, and it typically prices below direct space. The remaining term is the main thing to check.

How Does Northbrook Compare With Other North Suburbs Cities?

City	Vacancy	Year ago	12-mo net absorption (SF)	Inventory	Sublease SF	Asking rent, gross
Deerfield	34.5%	24.1%	-310,000	3.0M SF	201,000	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Northbrook	20.0%	20.8%	+21,300	2.7M SF	171,000	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Lincolnshire	62.4%	59.6%	-62,600	2.3M SF	104,000	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Skokie	34.0%	35.3%	+28,900	2.2M SF	82,200	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Evanston	23.6%	21.7%	-33,700	1.8M SF	10,800	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Libertyville	36.3%	33.3%	-41,800	1.4M SF	38,700	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Buffalo Grove	37.2%	40.6%	+45,700	1.4M SF	39,500	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Lake Forest	29.7%	26.3%	-38,000	1.1M SF	106,000	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Bannockburn	38.7%	41.6%	+24,900	862,000 SF	27,400	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Vernon Hills	38.0%	34.5%	-25,400	732,000 SF	0	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Highland Park	13.6%	14.7%	+7,100	639,000 SF	3,400	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Glenview	23.1%	23.0%	-600	521,000 SF	0	A $36–$44; B $24–$32
Northfield	26.5%	31.3%	+17,800	369,000 SF	0	A $36–$44; B $24–$32

Tenant Advisors market tracking, multi-tenant office buildings 5,000 SF and larger, October 2026. Rents are Tenant Advisors’ tracked-transaction figures per SF per year.

Should You Lease, Sublease or Use Coworking in Northbrook?

Lease direct if you need space for three years or more, sublease if you want built-out space at a discount and the remaining term fits, and use coworking only for small teams that need flexibility for a year or less. About 171,000 SF of sublease space is available in Northbrook.

	Direct lease	Sublease	Coworking
Typical term	3 to 10 years	Whatever remains on the original lease	Month to month up to 1–2 years
Cost	Market rent, with free rent and an improvement allowance	Usually below direct rent	Priced per desk or office; usually the highest cost per SF
Build-out	Custom, funded largely by the landlord	As-is, often furnished	Ready to use
Watch out for	Committing to more space than you need	Landlord consent and the short remaining term	Rate increases at renewal and limited privacy

Where Is the Leverage in Northbrook Right Now?

On Sanders Road and in the larger Skokie Boulevard buildings. About 64% of Northbrook tenants with expiring leases renewed over the past two years, the highest rate among the larger North Suburbs cities, which tells landlords most tenants will stay. A real relocation option in Deerfield or Glenview changes that. See our renewal vs. relocation analysis and lease renewal negotiation services.

What Should Tenants Negotiate on a Northbrook Office Lease in 2026?

• Rent: target effective rent after concessions, not the asking rate.
• Free rent: 1 to 2 months per year of lease term, or 5 to 10 months on a 5-year lease.
• Tenant improvement allowance: $35–$65/SF for full build-outs on 5+ year terms. Get build-out pricing before you negotiate this number.
• Operating expense caps: 4% to 6% annually on controllable expenses.
• Flexibility: expansion, contraction and sublease rights, negotiated upfront.
• Parking: included in rent for the full term with no separate escalation.

How Does Tenant Advisors Find and Tour Space in Northbrook?

We build a shortlist from every building in Northbrook that fits your size, budget and timing, tour the best options in one block, and negotiate with several landlords at once. The landlord pays our fee, so there is no cost to tenants.

1. Requirements call: size, budget, move date and must-haves.
2. Building survey: every option that fits, including sublease space, with rents and availability.
3. Tours: your top choices scheduled back to back.
4. Competing proposals: requests to three or more landlords, compared side by side on net effective cost.
5. Negotiation and lease review alongside your attorney through signing and move-in.

Why Do Companies Lease Office Space in Northbrook?

Northbrook offers Edens (I-94) and Tri-State (I-294) access, Metra Milwaukee District North service at the Northbrook station, and an established Skokie Boulevard office corridor. UL Solutions and Crate & Barrel are headquartered here, alongside insurance, financial services, healthcare and professional services firms. Companies comparing locations usually look at Deerfield, Glenview and Northfield as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

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About the authors: Tom Koelzer (Co-Founder & Managing Partner, LinkedIn) and Dave Ven Horst (Co-Founder & Managing Broker, LinkedIn) founded Tenant Advisors, Inc. in 2004. Both have worked in Chicago office leasing since 1986, and the firm has negotiated more than 2,000 office leases, representing tenants only. Benchmark your Northbrook lease against the market: (847) 778-0296 | tkoelzer@tenantadvisors.com.

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