I can't find the article, but supposedly yes. IIRC the reason was that the landlord's loan terms are dependent on the income from the building, but that number doesn't recalculate until a new tenant comes in, so accepting lower rent can trigger a large cash call.

Ayup. In addition, the revenue from a missing tenant can often be added to the end of the mortgage.

I've seen retail space in amazingly hot markets be empty for 5+ years now.