Build-to-suit is when a landlord or developer builds or finishes a space to one specific tenant's requirements, usually in exchange for a long-term lease. The tenant gets a space designed around how they operate, and the landlord gets a signed tenant before construction starts.
What it is used for
Restaurants, medical and dental offices, fitness studios, retail and quick-service food. All of them need mechanical, plumbing and layout that a generic empty shell does not provide, and none of them can open without it.
Who builds what
The lease work letter defines the split. Typically the landlord delivers the shell, storefront, restrooms, heating and air and utilities to the space, and the tenant builds the interior, fixtures and equipment. The construction contract follows that document, so it is the first thing we read.
Los Angeles County figures, reviewed 2026-10-29 by America General Contractors, California contractor licence CSLB 1083262. Planning ranges, not a quote, and not legal advice. We confirm the current rules for your parcel before anything gets drawn.
