Lewis says Rosewood's space plays out as more of an opportunity than a loss. "We still have people trying to get in who can't," he says. The Crescent's quoted rate hovers $40 per sf.

Just like Lewis sees promise in the upcoming vacancy, he says Crescent's financial tenants also are seizing opportunities to court their neighbors' seasoned talent. He cited a Bear Stearns team that moved to a competitor's camp without any down time and without leaving the building. "They just changed floors and offices," he says. In addition, he says there's been "very little talk" about sublease space or give-backs by the tenants in place.

Lewis believes the Dallas/Fort Worth economy, and Texas in general, is hardy enough that troubled financial institutions most likely won't cut local teams free. "They're the units that are producing and anybody would love to have the producers in the Dallas buildings," he says. "This is Dallas, TX and we are doing well."

Lewis admits there is concern in the ranks, but most tenants have said they are keeping eyes peeled for opportunities that might arise from the debacle. "Some people's failures create other people's opportunities. The good news is we're in Dallas and Texas," he says. "Are we affected? Yes. But not to the massive extent that other parts of the country are. We're concerned about the economy, but we're still conducting business and making money."