Austin has been a haven for many businesses, even throughout the recent economic crisis. Dell has its headquarters here. The fast population growth, technology enterprises, and proximity to colleges have made it a great city for business development. The current state of the economy, however, has put a damper on planned building for 2009. Mixed used properties are the most recent addition to the downtown Austin skyline. There remains demand for apartment space as well as commercial in this area. With an increase in supplies for building at lower rates has only helped in these developments. Unfortunately, it appears that the demand is not as high as originally expected. Many mixed use and commercial properties are being built without pre-leasing. There are many buildings that sit vacant in Austin. Experts blame the same factors that have drawn people here for the current crisis. Apartments have been in high demand here based on local college. The tech boom brought many new employees to the area in the last several years and while the population is expected to continue its increase, less people are able to move now with the credit crunch. Many developers have put construction projects on hold as they wait for the economy to steady. Austin is still expected to come out of the recession in better condition than many other cities. Unemployment rates here remain lower than the national average, and it is still considered a good investment city for many businesses. The economy is expected to get better here by 2010.