Base Building Work- What is it? Who is Responsible?

We have recently written a few posts about what goes into the tenantfit-out process- the work letter and the T.I. allowances versus a turnkey deal. Each post has mentioned that thenegotiationprocess when deciding who is financially responsible for the work that has to be done before a tenant moves in.During those negotiations, “base building” work will undoubtedly come up. Theterm refers to the part of a multi-tenant building that directly serves and affects all tenants. This includes the building’s primary structure, the building envelope, lobbies, hallways, elevators, stairwells, primary mechanical systems like the HVAC, telephone, water supply, etc.Typically, the base building work is the landlord or developer’s responsibility. Because the base building impacts the entire building and all tenants, the landlord is responsible for the work both financially and from an implementation perspective. However, it is important for a tenant to understand what is considered “base building.” So...