Tenant improvements (TI)
Interior structural changes made to a commercial or residential building prior to tenant occupancy. The nature and
extent of such changes are varied and depend on the needs and desires of the future tenant. The tenant may take
possession of a grey shell, vanilla shell, or completely improved interior space depending on these needs and
desires. Responsibility for design of, installation of, and payment for tenant improvements is negotiated at the
time of the lease agreement.
The landlord may furnish all or part of the tenant improvements, or may offer a financial incentive in the form of
a tenant improvement allowance (TIA), usually on a per square foot basis. Landlord-provided tenant improvements
can be either "under-ceiling" or "slab-to-slab".
Examples of tenant improvements may include HVAC systems, plumbing and wiring, partitions and interior walls,
flooring, ceiling tiles, lighting, signs, shelving and storage, restroom fixtures, fire protection, and security systems.
Added: Fri May 02 2008
Last Modified: Tue May 13 2008
Related Terms
Shell Grey shell (Grey box) Furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) Vanilla shell (Vanilla box) Shell lease Tenant improvement allowance (TIA) Vanilla shell improvements (VSI) Under-ceiling improvements Slab-to-slab improvementsHave something to add? How useful is this Landterm? Bookmark this term