Building Classifications are Subjective, but there are Guidelines
I often have clients tell me they want a “Class A Building” or they are looking for more economical “Class B space”. What does that really mean? Building Classifications are subjective opinions but there are guidelines for what constitutes a property classification. There are always buildings that are straddling the fence between classifications, and a Landlord may certainly have a more generous opinion of his building than tenants or real estate professionals. However, here is a general guideline:
Class A Buildings
Characterized by: Prime central location; First class tenant improvements; on-site parking; state of the art elevators and HVAC systems; concrete and steel construction; contemporary design and architecture; the high quality of upkeep and maintenance; ability to command a premium rent within the relevant market. Implicit in the Class A building definition is that the size of the building is “significant” in accordance with its market. For example, Houston Downtown Class A office buildings would include buildings 250,000 square feet or greater, whereas, in suburbs, Class A buildings can vary in size and be as small as 50,000 square feet or greater.
Class B Buildings
Characterized by: New buildings in non-prime locations and older buildings (including rehabilitated structures in prime locations); good quality tenant improvements; may have on-site parking; elevators and HVAC served; built utilizing a variety of construction methods; upkeep and maintenance is generally good. Generally, all space has been previously occupied.
Class C Buildings
Characterized by: Older structures, may or may not have been renovated; poor to average quality of tenant improvements; may not have elevators and air conditioning systems; generally no parking facilities; lower quality of upkeep and maintenance. All spaces have been previously occupied.
Smaller Buildings
In many cases, smaller suburban properties of 5,000-25,000 square feet can have some characteristics of a Class A office building but lack some of the amenities typical of Class A projects, such as covered parking structures, on-site property management, and other tenant services. For reporting purposes, they are often classified as either Class B or Class C properties.
