In one other blow to the struggling downtown workplace rental market, longtime stalwart company tenant PricewaterhouseCoopers has agreed to maneuver its Los Angeles places of work to Century Metropolis.
London-based PwC is among the world’s largest accounting {and professional} companies companies, maybe greatest recognized publicly because the official tabulator of votes for Hollywood’s annual Academy Awards.
Its brand is extensively seen atop a 52-story skyscraper on Figueroa Road in downtown’s monetary district, however PwC’s lease there expires in 2028 and the agency has agreed to maneuver that yr to a premier constructing in Century Metropolis.
The corporate has been a presence downtown because the late Nineties and leased its present workplace house on Figueroa Road in 2013.
Staff have been notified Monday of the pending transition to 2121 Avenue of the Stars. The red-granite and glass constructing overlooking Fox Studio Lot was previously referred to as Fox Plaza, however could also be higher recognized to film followers as fictional Nakatomi Plaza, the place Bruce Willis fought terrorists in “Die Arduous.” Ronald Reagan saved places of work within the 34-story tower after his presidency.
“This transfer is about progress, connectivity, and the way forward for our Los Angeles enterprise,” Workplace Managing Associate Andy Sofield mentioned in a press release to The Instances. “PwC has continued to develop out there, and the brand new Century Metropolis workplace provides us extra house in a location that higher helps our folks, shoppers, and groups throughout the area.
“Century Metropolis provides sturdy entry to shoppers, our folks, transportation corridors, and airport entry,” Sofield mentioned. “It’s also a return to a neighborhood the place PwC beforehand had an workplace greater than 20 years in the past. We evaluated a number of choices and decided Century Metropolis was the suitable match for our future.”
PwC didn’t disclose particulars of the Century Metropolis lease, however an individual with data of deal who just isn’t licensed to talk publicly mentioned the companies agency signed a 15-year lease valued at about $200 million to occupy 150,000 sq. ft. The agency’s downtown workplace at 601 S. Figueroa St. is smaller at 114,000 sq. ft, in keeping with actual property knowledge supplier CoStar.
“Our enterprise has grown, our variety of folks has grown, and this transfer provides us the chance to create a office that helps our groups, our shoppers and the continued evolution of our enterprise within the area,” he mentioned.
The corporate declined to elaborate on its causes for leaving downtown, however the transfer marks the most recent high-profile exit from the town’s monetary core.
Many massive corporations have already got shrunk their places of work or given up on downtown, together with Deloitte and KPMG. Monetary companies agency Wedbush Securities moved from a outstanding monetary district workplace tower to Pasadena.
The transfer additionally displays the modified nature of downtown’s monetary district since the COVID-related shutdown. Hundreds of workplace employees departed, they usually most likely received’t return once more in pre-pandemic numbers. Many outlets and eating places stay closed and workplace tenants have mentioned the streets really feel much less protected than they used to.
Downtown has suffered from an oversupply of workplace house since a constructing spree within the Nineteen Eighties and early Nineties. The dearth of rent-paying tenants that has pushed down workplace values has turn into extra acute because the pandemic started. Practically 40% of the workplace house within the monetary district was accessible on the finish of final yr, in keeping with CBRE. General emptiness downtown has climbed from 14% in 2019 to 34%.
“We’re sorry to see PwC depart and consider LA metropolis officers have to do extra to retain main workplace tenants in downtown, the financial middle of the area,” Nick Griffin, government vp of the DTLA Alliance enterprise enchancment district, mentioned in a press release.
A single departure doesn’t outweigh downtown’s momentum, which features a rising residential inhabitants and nightlife, leisure and tourism, he mentioned. “The historic arc of Downtown L.A. is one in every of transformation and alternative.”
In the meantime, Century Metropolis has emerged as one of many area’s most sought-after workplace markets lately, mentioned actual property dealer Gary Weiss of LA Realty Companions. Workplaces there are greater than 90% leased at rents which are the best within the metropolis, he mentioned.
“If you take a look at what number of corporations have moved throughout the final three to 4 years from downtown to Century Metropolis, I’m not shocked” by PwC’s resolution, Weiss mentioned. The neighborhood subsequent to Beverly Hills with places of work, housing and a significant buying middle “has nice facilities in a really protected atmosphere.”
PcW’s new landlord in Century Metropolis is Irvine Co. “We’re proud to deepen our relationship with PwC as they set up their new presence at 2121 Avenue of the Stars,” mentioned Roger DeWames, president of Irvine Co. Workplace Properties.
