In the Northern CT/Western MA area I can think of at least a dozen commercial properties, either free standing buildings or units in a strip mall that are for sale or lease. All of these had tenants anywhere from 6 months to a few years ago. I’m not even counting places that were built and never found tenants.
Personally, I find the free standing units the most depressing because they just scream “vacant” unlike a small unit or two in a huge strip mall.
About a year ago, a friend and I visited some long-time friends in the Detroit, MI area. We drove down Michigan Ave. in Dearborn, MI and counted the business that were closed. It was like every 5th business was closed. We went to downtown Detroit at 2:00 p.m. one afternoon. It looked like a ghost town. But, Detroit will go for Obama with 80% of the vote. I’m believing that the rest of the State, however, will put Michigan in the GOP column this Presidential Election.