San Diego Life Science Office Vacancies Remain High

Landlords offer concessions as 31% of lab space sits empty

Apr. 18, 2026 at 1:28am

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A photorealistic studio still-life featuring a collection of modern, geometric office supplies and equipment in muted tones, symbolizing the current state of San Diego's life science office market.As San Diego's life science office vacancy rate remains near record highs, landlords offer concessions to attract new tenants.San Diego Today

San Diego's lab vacancy rate is currently near record highs, with 31% of lab space sitting empty. However, a handful of companies, some international, are taking advantage of declining rents and rising landlord concessions to move into the available space.

Why it matters

The high vacancy rate in San Diego's life science office market reflects broader economic trends, including the impact of the pandemic on commercial real estate. As companies look to cut costs, landlords are offering more incentives to attract tenants, which could reshape the local life science industry.

The details

According to the latest real estate report from Jones Lang LaSalle, San Diego's lab vacancy rate reached 31% in the first quarter of the year. This high vacancy rate has led landlords to offer more concessions, such as reduced rents and increased tenant improvement allowances, in order to fill the empty spaces. Despite the challenges, a number of companies, both local and international, are taking advantage of the market conditions to expand their footprint in the region.

  • The latest real estate report from Jones Lang LaSalle is for the first quarter of 2026.

The players

Jones Lang LaSalle

A global commercial real estate services firm that provides research and analysis on the San Diego real estate market.

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The takeaway

The high vacancy rate in San Diego's life science office market reflects the broader economic challenges facing the commercial real estate industry, but also presents opportunities for companies looking to expand their footprint in the region at more favorable terms.