Central Business District prime stock delivers a mid-to-high Cat-A baseline; tenant fit-out is typically Mid or High-end spec.

• Typical spec: 15–40,000 sqft floor plates available across newer Class A stock; 9'+ slab-to-slab and modern MEP common.
• Washington DC fit-out range — Basic $80–115/sqft, Trophy $260–380/sqft.
• Submarket tier: prime.

TL;DR

• Typical spec: 15–40,000 sqft floor plates available across newer Class A stock; 9'+ slab-to-slab and modern MEP common.
• Washington DC fit-out range — Basic $80–115/sqft, Trophy $260–380/sqft.
• Submarket tier: prime.

Spec baseline

15–40,000 sqft floor plates available across newer Class A stock; 9'+ slab-to-slab and modern MEP common.

Cost bands

City-wide Washington DC fit-out bands: Basic $80–115/sqft, Mid $120–175/sqft, High-end $180–260/sqft, Trophy $260–380/sqft.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

What spec level is normal in Central Business District?

15–40,000 sqft floor plates available across newer Class A stock; 9'+ slab-to-slab and modern MEP common.

Related

• Central Business District — submarket overview
• Washington DC — full city profile
• Washington DC submarkets — all
• Central Business District — Rents
• Central Business District — Tenants
• Central Business District — Transit
• Central Business District — Amenity

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

• CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
• JLL Office Insight — JLL
• Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
• Savills World Research — Savills
• Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

Full sources index · Submit a correction

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• Cross-border Expansion — How to run a coordinated Class A office search across multiple geographies.
• Fit-out Capex — How to budget, sequence, and govern Class A office fit-out capex.
• Lease vs Flex — When premium flex (coworking, managed office) beats a conventional Class A lease — and vice versa.