Construction is down, rent is down, and vacancy is up. (But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the show?) Still, Charlotte's commitment toeconomic diversification in the wake of the Great Recession has spurred 9,200 new jobs since January 2010, according to Q1 2011 stats from Lincoln Harris. Employment gains emerged in all three major office sectors—IT, finance, and professional services. The phenomenon foretells some pending stabilization in the office market, says LH's research manager Sarah Godwin. The area's unemployment rate dipped from 11.2% in January to 10.7% in February. Recovery also appears to be occurring in Charlotte more quickly than in many other US metro areas. And though Charlotte is the smallest city to be selected to host a DNC Convention in 50 years, holding it here ?speaks to Charlotte's growing clout and [recognizes] its political, economic, and demographic importance,? Sarah says. (Good, we were getting nervous it was just because President Obama wanted our vote.)