How Much Does It Cost to Lease Office Space in Culver City?

Culver City is one of the most active and competitive office markets in all of Los Angeles. What was once a small city best known for its film studios and its connection to old Hollywood has transformed into a genuine destination for technology companies, media and entertainment firms, creative agencies, healthcare groups, and professional services. This guide walks you through what you can expect to pay, how the key submarkets differ, and which buildings are available right now.

What Does It Cost to Lease Office Space in Culver City?

Lease rates vary significantly depending on building class, submarket, and the age of the space. Here is what tenants are paying today:

Monthly Rates Per Square Foot

• Class A office space: approximately $4.11 per sq ft per month
• Class B office space: approximately $3.43 per sq ft per month
• Overall market average: approximately $3.74 per sq ft per month
• Range: from $2.00 per sq ft (value/sublease) up to $4.95+ for top-tier creative and trophy space

What That Looks Like for Common Suite Sizes

• 1,000 sq ft at market average: approximately $3,740 per month
• 2,000 sq ft at market average: approximately $7,480 per month
• 5,000 sq ft at market average: approximately $18,700 per month
• 10,000 sq ft at market average: approximately $37,400 per month

Note: figures above are before operating expenses, parking, and tenant improvement amortization.

Understanding Lease Structures

Not all quoted rates cover the same costs. The three structures you will most commonly encounter in Culver City are:

• Full-Service Gross (FSG): The landlord covers operating expenses including utilities, property taxes, janitorial services, and insurance within the quoted rent. Common in newer Class A and creative campus buildings.
• Triple Net (NNN): The tenant pays base rent plus a separate share of operating expenses on top. Common in older and mid-tier buildings throughout the market.
• Modified Gross: A hybrid structure where some expenses are included and others are passed through. Terms vary by building and landlord.

What Drives the Price Up or Down?

Location

• Buildings along Washington Boulevard, in Downtown Culver City, and in the Hayden Tract command premium pricing due to walkability, architectural character, and proximity to amenities
• The Corporate Pointe area near the I-405 offers lower rates given its more suburban, auto-dependent environment

Building Age and Renovation History

• Roughly 62% of Culver City office stock was built before the year 2000
• Older industrial buildings that have been creatively repositioned, particularly in the Hayden Tract, can compete on experience and character while sometimes offering more flexibility on terms
• Brand-new construction and LEED-certified buildings tend to sit at the top of the pricing range

Floor and Unit Location

• Upper floors with views, corner units, and spaces with private outdoor terraces carry premium rents
• Ground-floor spaces or interior suites without natural light typically lease at a discount
• In creative campus environments like the Hayden Tract, architectural details including bow-truss ceilings, sawtooth rooflines, and skylights are factored directly into pricing

Lease Term

• Landlords negotiate more aggressively on tenant improvement allowances and free rent periods for tenants willing to sign five-year or longer leases
• Shorter two- to three-year terms are possible but typically come with less landlord concession and sometimes a higher base rate

Current Vacancy and Market Conditions

The Culver City office market is currently in a tenant-favorable position:

• Overall office vacancy was approximately 28% as of 2024, elevated compared to historical norms
• The Jefferson Corridor submarket had the tightest vacancy at around 19%
• The core Culver City submarket saw vacancy above 32%
• Landlords are actively offering tenant improvement packages, free rent periods, and flexible lease structures to attract quality tenants
• The sublease market, particularly in Fox Hills, adds additional below-market opportunities for tenants who need shorter terms

Knowing which pockets of the market have higher vacancy gives tenants meaningful leverage when negotiating. This is one of the better windows in years to secure favorable terms in Culver City.

Culver City Office Submarkets

Culver City is compact at roughly five square miles, but its office market breaks into distinct zones that each have their own character, price range, and tenant profile.

Hayden Tract: Culver City’s Premier Creative Office District

The Hayden Tract is arguably the most famous creative office district in all of Los Angeles and the submarket that first put Culver City on the map as a destination for technology and media companies.

Background and History

• Originally developed as an industrial zone in the 1940s
• Beginning in the late 1980s, developers Frederick and Laurie Samitaur Smith began working with architect Eric Owen Moss to transform the area building by building under the Conjunctive Points project
• Hackman Capital Partners later expanded and repositioned the campus to its current scale

Scale and Character

• Over 800,000 square feet of creative office space across 24 architecturally distinct buildings
• Buildings feature bow-truss and sawtooth rooflines, soaring ceilings, skylights, exposed concrete floors, glass-walled offices, and outdoor tenant spaces including patios and barbecue areas
• These are not conventional buildings rebranded as creative. They have genuine architectural DNA that cannot be replicated elsewhere in the market

Major Tenants

• Apple
• Amazon
• Nike
• HBO
• Sony Pictures Animation
• TikTok
• Numerous production companies, visual effects studios, and technology firms

The presence of those anchor tenants makes the Hayden Tract a signal address. Companies that want to be associated with the creative and technology community on the Westside understand that their office address communicates something about their identity and their ability to attract talent.

Who Belongs Here

• Film, animation, and post-production companies
• Technology and gaming studios
• Design and advertising agencies
• Any company where the physical workspace is part of the brand

Pricing

• Expect to pay at or above the Class A market average
• The most architecturally significant spaces run toward the higher end of the Culver City range
• Move-in ready spec suites available for tenants who need to get up and running quickly
• Strong freeway connectivity to Venice Boulevard, LAX, and major Los Angeles thoroughfares

Washington Boulevard Corridor

Washington Boulevard is the primary commercial artery running through Culver City and carries the highest concentration of large Class A office towers in the market.

Key Characteristics

• Runs from the eastern edge of the city near La Cienega Boulevard through the center of Culver City
• Hosts landmark projects including One Culver and Platform
• Multiple Culver CityBus and LA Metro bus lines run along Washington
• Metro E Line (Expo) connects the corridor to Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles

Best Suited For

• Technology companies and streaming media firms
• Creative studios looking for visibility and modern amenities
• Tenants who prioritize transit access and large, efficient floor plates

Downtown Culver City / Culver Boulevard

The Downtown submarket surrounds Culver Boulevard, Main Street, and the historic civic core of Culver City and is the most walkable and urban part of the market.

Key Characteristics

• Restaurants, coffee shops, boutique retail, and cultural venues all within easy reach of office buildings
• The Culver Steps is the anchor office development in this submarket
• Rents are competitive with the Washington corridor

Best Suited For

• Media production companies and entertainment firms
• Businesses that want employees to have a genuine neighborhood experience
• Companies focused on recruiting and retention where the surrounding environment is part of the pitch

Venice Boulevard / Ivy Station

The Venice Boulevard corridor near the intersection with National Boulevard is one of the most talked-about office submarkets in West Los Angeles.

Key Characteristics

• Ivy Station, built directly on top of the Culver City Metro E Line station at Venice and National, anchors the submarket
• True transit-oriented development with retail, residential, and office uses integrated in one project
• Employees can commute from Santa Monica, Exposition Park, and Downtown Los Angeles without a car

Best Suited For

• Technology and healthcare companies
• Employers with strong sustainability commitments
• Companies recruiting talent from across a wide geographic area who want to offer a car-free commute option.

Lucerne / Higuera

The Lucerne-Higuera neighborhood sits in the central and eastern parts of Culver City and carries the highest volume of available listings in the market overall.

Key Characteristics

• Mix of creative office, general office, and light industrial uses
• More accessible rates than the Washington Boulevard or Culver Boulevard corridors
• Diverse building types that give tenants options unavailable in more polished submarkets

Best Suited For

• Production companies and post-production facilities
• Businesses that need flexible space configurations
• Tenants looking for value without leaving the Culver City market

Corporate Pointe / Slauson Corridor

Corporate Pointe sits off Slauson Avenue near the I-405 and represents the most value-oriented part of the Culver City office market.

Key Characteristics

• Purpose-built corporate campus environment with large, efficient floor plates
• Generous parking ratios compared to transit-oriented properties closer to downtown
• Rates typically at or below the market average
• Immediate freeway access to the 405

Best Suited For

• Professional services firms and financial services companies
• Healthcare administrators and back-office operations
• Tenants who prioritize function, value, and parking over neighborhood walkability

Featured Office Buildings in Culver City

TenantRepLA works with tenants across all of Culver City’s submarkets. Here are six of the market’s top office buildings currently available for touring and leasing.

1. One Culver — 10000 Washington Boulevard

• Landmark Class A tower with dramatic glass curtain wall facade and panoramic city views
• Large, efficient floor plates suited to mid-size and enterprise tenants
• Walking distance to Westfield Culver City, Tender Greens, and the Culver Hotel
• Home to major technology and media tenants
• Represents the highest tier of the Culver City office market

2. The Culver Steps — 9300 Culver Boulevard

• Contemporary mixed-use development integrating office floors with public plazas and ground-level retail
• Home to media startups, creative technology firms, and entertainment-adjacent businesses
• Walking distance to Blue Bottle Coffee, Lodge Bread Company, and The Shay boutique hotel
• Direct access to the full dining and retail scene along Culver Boulevard

3. Platform — 8850 Washington Boulevard

• Developed around repurposed industrial buildings with a distinctive eclectic architectural identity
• On-site dining including Loqui and Roberta’s Pizza plus curated boutique retail
• Appeals to companies in design, fashion, technology, and media
• One of the most recognized creative office complexes in Southern California

4. 400 Corporate Pointe — off Slauson Avenue

• Large, efficient floor plates suitable for bigger headcounts
• On-site fitness center, conference facilities, and dining options within the complex
• Immediate freeway access to the I-405 and generous structured parking
• Competitive rates relative to the Washington and Downtown corridors

5. Ivy Station — 8900 Venice Boulevard

• Built directly above the Culver City Metro E Line station at Venice and National Boulevards
• Modern office floors combined with luxury residential, ground-floor retail, and new restaurants
• Employees can commute from Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, and Exposition Park without a car
• One of the most forward-thinking mixed-use projects in all of West Los Angeles

6. Additional Creative and General Office Inventory Across Culver City

• Boutique creative suites starting at a few hundred square feet
• Full-floor availabilities for larger users at competitive rates
• Sublease opportunities in Fox Hills at below-market pricing
• Current vacancy above 28% means tenants have genuine negotiating leverage across the market

Is Culver City the Right Market for Your Business?

How Culver City Compares to Neighboring Markets

• More affordable than Santa Monica, which averages around $4.70 per square foot per month
• Richer urban environment than El Segundo with more dining, retail, and cultural options nearby
• More established neighborhood infrastructure than Playa Vista with a longer track record as an office destination
• Genuine creative office inventory, particularly in the Hayden Tract, that is difficult to find anywhere else on the Westside

Why Now Is a Good Time to Look

• Overall vacancy above 28% gives tenants real negotiating power
• Tenant improvement packages are more generous than during the low-vacancy years of the mid-2010s
• Many landlords are offering meaningful free rent periods to qualified tenants
• The sublease market adds additional below-market options for flexible terms

Why Work with TenantRepLA

• TenantRepLA’s services are completely free to tenants
• The landlord pays the commission, so there is no cost to having an experienced advocate in your corner
• Nina Steiner has deep knowledge of every Culver City submarket and building

Call/Text (310) 487-2982, email nsteiner@saxumwest.com