Warehouse vacancy in the Eastside industrial submarket
Cushman & Wakefield counted 54,097,882 square feet of industrial space in its Eastside submarket in Q2 2026, with 3,559,258 square feet vacant, a 6.6% vacancy rate.[1] For the region, Lee & Associates reported an average NNN asking rate of $11.45 per square foot for Tampa Bay industrial space in Q2 2026, net absorption of 205,087 square feet for the quarter, and 3,466,755 square feet under construction.[3]
Those Lee figures are for Tampa Bay, not for the Eastside. If you are comparing warehouses on the east side of Tampa, ask for the asking rate, operating costs and recent leases at each building rather than relying on a regional average.
| Measure | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|
| Inventory | 54,097,882 sq ft |
| Vacant | 3,559,258 sq ft |
| Vacancy | 6.6% |
Where is the East Tampa CRA?
The City of Tampa describes East Tampa as "ideally situated between Downtown, the Port of Tampa and the University of South Florida."[4] Its CRA history page says the area is roughly bounded by 26th Street on the east and 26th Avenue on the north.[5] The City's East Tampa CRA page refers to the 7.5 square-mile area and singles out Hillsborough Avenue.[4]
If you are looking at a site, check whether it is inside the CRA boundary, then ask the City's CRA office what, if anything, applies to it. A site can be in Cushman & Wakefield's Eastside submarket without being in the CRA.
Warehouse space along the I-4 corridor
I-4 forms the northern edge of the Ybor City area described on the City's Ybor City CRA history page, which lists the boundaries as the CSX railroad line on the south, 22nd Street on the east, Nebraska Avenue on the west and I-4 on the north.[6] We could not verify a separate vacancy or rent series for an "I-4 corridor" submarket, so this page publishes none. If interstate access is your priority, ask for the drive distance from each building to the nearest interchange and for the truck route to it.
East Tampa retail space
Cushman & Wakefield's East Tampa retail submarket had 13,018,738 square feet in Q2 2026, with 172,454 square feet vacant, a 1.3% vacancy rate, and an average asking rent of $28.69 per square foot.[2] The firm wrote of "key corridors like East Tampa and Westshore reporting even tighter conditions, hovering below 2.0%."[2] See retail space for lease in Tampa.
| Measure | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|
| Inventory | 13,018,738 sq ft |
| Vacant | 172,454 sq ft |
| Vacancy | 1.3% |
| Average asking rent | $28.69 per sq ft |
Port access for East Tampa warehouses
Port Tampa Bay says it has "more than 1,000 acres of industrially zoned property featuring deepwater access," and cites 33 million tons of cargo per year and 5,000 acres.[7] In Hillsborough County, trade, transportation and utilities employed 144,962 people in March 2026, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.[8] If port access drives your search, ask for the route and distance from each candidate building to the terminals you use.
What to bring to an East Tampa warehouse search
If you are searching on the east side of Tampa, have these ready:
- Square feet, office share, clear height and door count.
- Truck volume and trailer sizes, and where the freight goes.
- Power, sprinkler and outdoor storage needs.
- Whether you need the site inside the East Tampa CRA, or only nearby.
Next steps
Her team's current listings are on Invest Florida CRE. For the regional picture, see warehouse and industrial space in Tampa and the Tampa submarkets hub.
Looking for warehouse space on the east side of Tampa? Start with the size, doors and where your freight goes.
Talk with MakaylaQuestions people ask
What is the warehouse vacancy rate in East Tampa?
Cushman & Wakefield reported 6.6% vacancy in its Eastside industrial submarket in Q2 2026, on 54,097,882 square feet. That brokerage submarket is broader than the City of Tampa's East Tampa CRA.
How much does warehouse space cost in Tampa?
Lee & Associates reported an average NNN asking rate of $11.45 per square foot for Tampa Bay industrial space in Q2 2026. That is a regional figure, not an Eastside or East Tampa figure.
Where is the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area?
The City of Tampa describes East Tampa as situated between Downtown, the Port of Tampa and the University of South Florida, roughly bounded by 26th Street on the east and 26th Avenue on the north.
Is retail space available in East Tampa?
Cushman & Wakefield reported 1.3% retail vacancy in its East Tampa submarket in Q2 2026, with 172,454 square feet vacant out of 13,018,738 and an average asking rent of $28.69 per square foot.
Sources
- Tampa Bay Industrial MarketBeat, Q2 2026, Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Tampa Retail MarketBeat, Q2 2026, Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Tampa Bay Industrial Market Report, Q2 2026, Lee & Associates, Q2 2026. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area, City of Tampa. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- East Tampa CRA history, City of Tampa. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Ybor City CRA history, City of Tampa. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- About the Port, Port Tampa Bay. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Hillsborough County, FL, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Q1 2026 (March employment). Accessed October 12, 2026.