In office leases, what does the rentable area typically include?

Rentable area in office leases is a critical concept that generally encompasses both the usable area that tenants occupy and a proportionate share of common areas within the building. When calculating the rentable area, it includes spaces that tenants can directly use, such as individual offices, meeting rooms, and workspaces, along with broader common areas like lobbies, hallways, restrooms, and shared facilities.

This method of measurement ensures that tenants contribute fairly to the upkeep and maintenance of these shared spaces, which are essential for the functionality of the building. By including common areas in the calculation, landlords can more accurately distribute costs and assess rental rates based on the total space that a tenant could effectively be said to "use" in a broader sense, as they benefit from these amenities regardless of whether they occupy them directly.

The other options do not capture the full scope of what rentable area entails. For instance, focusing solely on usable area excludes common spaces that are beneficial and necessary for all tenants, while discussing the average rent per square foot only pertains to pricing rather than the space measurement criteria. The total area of the entire building disregards the distinction between usable and non-usable areas, which is crucial for accurately determining tenant space. Thus, the inclusion of both