Why Companies Are Choosing Century City in 2026

Century City has always been a market for large established law firms, private wealth management companies and more that define the upper tier of the Los Angeles business community. When a company sets its sights on space here, it isn't simply solving a square-footage problem. It's making a deliberate move up, choosing to plant its flag alongside the market's most established players and signaling that it belongs in that company.

This guide is written for companies evaluating a move: what "Class A" actually means, why Century City continues to attract scaling and established companies, and what to look for, and ask, before committing to a lease.

Class A is the top tier in the commercial real estate rating system used to describe office buildings, followed by Class B and Class C. The designation isn't official or regulated, it's a market shorthand, but it reflects a consistent set of characteristics: a prime or highly desirable location, modern and well-maintained building systems, professional on-site property management, high-quality construction and finishes, and a stronger relative rental rate to match.

For a company looking to establish itself, the practical translation is Century City: a Class A building is one where the physical environment, the building's operations, and the surrounding location all support the impression a company wants to make on employees, clients, and investors alike.

What to expect from a Class A office building in Century City. The difference between Class A and Class B space isn't always visible in a listing photo, but it shows up in day-to-day operations and long-term cost.

•   Location and address.

Class A buildings sit in higher-profile submarkets and corridors, which matters for client-facing businesses and for recruiting. Floor to ceiling glass windows in high rise office towers deliver miles of stunning views including dramatic sunsets over the ocean and a bird's eye view of the golf course at the Los Angeles Country Club.

•  On-site management.

Class A properties have dedicated, on-site property management and facilities staff, meaning issues get resolved faster.

•   In-house engineering, design, and construction.

Rather than relying on outside vendors for every repair or buildout, many Class A landlords maintain their own engineering, design, and construction teams. That means faster response times, tighter quality control on tenant improvements, and a single point of accountability from initial buildout through ongoing maintenance.

•  Amenities and services.

Valet parking, security staffing, EV charging, and on-site or adjacent retail and dining are far more common in Class A buildings.

•  Tenant mix and image.

Sharing a building with other established, professional tenants reinforces the impression a company is trying to build.

Century City has long been one of the Westside's premier business addresses, and for good reason. The U.S. Census Bureau reports it being among the most affluent zip codes in the country, and the submarket delivers on that reputation: high-rise Class A towers, Century City’s mall directly at its center, and immediate proximity to Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Westwood. Elevate any business by taking the initiative to lease office space in Century City, the Westside's premier city center.

For a scaling company, that translates into concrete advantages:

•  A recognizable, prestigious address that signals stability to clients, partners, and investors.

•  A deep, established tenant base in law, entertainment, finance, and professional services, creating a natural peer environment.

•  Retail, dining, and hospitality on the doorstep, including an outdoor mall renowned for its world-class shopping and dining, which matters for both client meetings and day-to-day employee experience.

•  Efficient access via the I-10 and I-405 freeways, with quick commutes across Los Angeles.

Douglas Emmett's Century City portfolio includes 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Century Park Plaza at 1801 Century Pk E, and Century Park West at 1801 Century Pk W. These three buildings offer a range of suite sizes from roughly 200 to 27,000 square feet, giving companies a wide range of options to fit their needs and scale over time.

Not every Class A building, or every lease, is structured the same way. Before signing companies should evaluate these four areas.

Beyond the neighborhood's reputation, look at the specifics: freeway access, proximity to transit, walkability to food and retail, and the realistic commute for the majority of your current and prospective employees. A building's address matters, but so does how easily people actually get there every day. Century City's position along the I-10 and I-405 corridors, with quick access to Santa Monica, Westwood, and Beverly Hills, is one of the reasons it remains a draw for companies pulling talent from across all of Los Angeles. And why it has prompted many companies to move from Downtown Los Angeles to the highly desirable Century City.

Amenities are a real consideration when looking for your next lease in Century City. Evaluate on-site security, parking, EV charging availability, building common areas and plazas, and proximity to dining and retail. At Century Park Plaza a recent multimillion-dollar modernization of the lobby and outdoor plaza reflects the kind of ongoing reinvestment in a building. Buildings that are actively maintained and upgraded hold their tenant experience better over time than those that aren't.

For a company looking for new office space, flexibility is often as important as rent. Key terms to understand and negotiate include:

•  Term length and what happens at renewal

•   Rate and how it compares to other Class A space in the submarket 

•   Increases, the annual escalations built into the term 

•  Spec Suite availability a move-in-ready suite that can shorten time-to-occupancy compared to building out a raw shell 

•  Tenant improvement (TI) allowance and how it's structured

A lease that fits your headcount today but has no path to expand can force a costly, disruptive move in two or three years.

This is the least visible category on a tour, but it has a huge effect on day-to-day operations. Ask who actually handles a maintenance issue when it comes up. Is it a third-party vendor on a schedule, or a team that's already in the building? Douglas Emmett prides itself on keeping on-site, full-time staff and a dedicated management office in each of its properties, rather than routing tenant needs through an off-site call center. That means a team is on hand and at the tenants' beck and call, so issues get addressed quickly instead of sitting in a queue. For a company looking to impress, this kind of responsiveness is worth as much as any amenity on the tour sheet. It is the difference between a building that runs quietly in the background and one that becomes a distraction from the business. 

See current availability in Century City office space

The honest answer is that it depends less on a single quoted rate than on the shape of the deal itself. Term length is one of the biggest levers: a longer commitment typically gives a company more room to negotiate on rate and on the TI allowance used to build out the space. A shorter term generally means less room to negotiate and a smaller TI allowance. Customizations matter just as much. A suite that needs a full buildout will carry different costs than a spec suite that's already move-in ready. Because these variables shift the real cost of occupancy so significantly, the most accurate way to evaluate cost is to request a quote for a specific suite and term length, and to have an early conversation about the TI allowance and any customization needs before comparing rates across buildings.

Most Class A leases in Century City are structured on a full-service or modified gross basis, meaning base rent typically includes operating expenses up to a base year, with increases passed through after that point. Leases commonly address a tenant improvement allowance for buildouts, parking, and access to building amenities and services such as security, on-site management, and common-area maintenance. 

As a general industry guideline, companies typically plan for roughly 150 to 250 square feet per employee, though this can vary significantly based on layout. An open, creative floor plan tends to fall at the higher end of the range, while a layout with a bullpen and a lower ratio of private offices tends toward the lower end. It's worth planning not just for current headcount but for growth over the lease term, so the space doesn't become a constraint again in 18 months.

Choosing the right office space in Century City is one of the most important decisions a company makes. It affects recruiting, client perception, day-to-day operations, and cost structure for years at a time. Class A buildings in an established submarket like Century City offer a combination of location, amenities, and building quality that's difficult to replicate elsewhere on the Westside, and Douglas Emmett's portfolio including 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Century Park Plaza, and Century Park West gives companies room to find the right fit today and the flexibility to grow into tomorrow.

Ready to tour a space? Contact the Douglas Emmett leasing team at (310) 255-7777 or visit the Century City office space page to view current availability and schedule a tour.