Industrial real estate in Greater Boston continued its recovery in the second quarter, with warehouse and flex markets improving while manufacturing space declined slightly.

Over the last three years, warehouse vacancies have dropped from 19.8 percent to 11.8 percent, according to Transwestern RBJ’s second-quarter IndStatus report. Warehouse properties had 435,000 square feet of absorption in the second quarter, with asking rents unchanged at $4.69 per square foot. The Route 128 North market warehouse vacancy rate dropped to 4.8 percent, the lowest on record.

Large warehouse deals that took place during the quarter included:

• The Boston Globe’s $20.3-million purchase of 300 Constitution Drive in Taunton for its new printing plant.
• Potpourri Group’s 450,000-square-foot build-to-suit project at Distribution Center Circle in Littleton, which will be the first new warehouse built in the market since 2013.
• General Dynamics’ Mission Systems lease of 135,000 square feet in Dedham.
• Novaya Real Estate Ventures’ acquisition of 57 Littlefield St. in Avon from Lincoln Property Co. for $14.4 million.
• Electric Supply Center’s leased 132,000 square feet at 205 Wildwood Ave. in Woburn.

Flex space vacancy dropped from 15.9 percent to 14.8 percent on 301,000 square feet of positive absorption during the quarter.

The manufacturing sector had 25,000 square feet of negative absorption in the second quarter, as vacancies rose to 10.3 percent. But asking rents increased to $7.33 per foot, a 9.5 percent increase from the previous year. The largest rent gains were in the Route 128 South market (24.4 percent) and I-495 West (23.5 percent).