CAM Charges by Property Type

A strip center is a small, open-air retail property with a single row of storefronts that share a common parking lot. Strip centers typically range from 5,000 to 30,000 square feet of leasable area and lack an anchor tenant. CAM charges in strip centers cover parking lot maintenance, exterior lighting, trash removal, and shared signage upkeep.

A regional mall is a large enclosed shopping center with 400,000 or more square feet of GLA, typically anchored by two or more department stores. Regional malls have the most complex CAM structures in retail, with tiered charges, merchant association fees, and marketing fund contributions layered on top of standard operating expenses.

A power center is an open-air retail complex of 250,000 to 600,000 square feet dominated by big-box anchors such as home improvement stores, warehouse clubs, and electronics retailers. Small tenants fill pad sites and inline spaces. CAM in power centers is driven by large parking fields, exterior maintenance, and site drainage systems.

A lifestyle center is an upscale open-air retail development featuring a mix of national and boutique retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues arranged along pedestrian-friendly streetscapes. These properties emphasize ambiance with premium landscaping, water features, and outdoor seating. CAM charges reflect the elevated maintenance standards.

An outlet mall is a retail center where manufacturers and brands sell directly to consumers at discounted prices. These open-air or partially enclosed properties typically feature 200,000 to 800,000 square feet of GLA with a uniform storefront design. CAM charges cover shared walkways, directory signage, marketing programs, and parking facilities.

An office tower is a multi-story commercial building, typically 10 or more floors, located in an urban central business district. These Class A or B properties house corporate tenants, law firms, financial services, and technology companies. CAM (operating expense) charges cover building-wide systems including HVAC, elevators, lobby maintenance, and shared amenities.

A suburban office park is a campus-style development of low-rise to mid-rise office buildings (typically 1 to 5 stories) located outside the urban core. These properties share common grounds, parking lots, and sometimes amenities like fitness centers or cafeterias. CAM charges cover exterior maintenance, shared parking, and campus-wide services.

A medical office building (MOB) is purpose-built or converted for healthcare tenants, including physician practices, dental offices, outpatient clinics, and diagnostic labs. These buildings require specialized HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems to meet healthcare regulations. CAM charges reflect the higher cost of maintaining medical-grade building systems.

An industrial warehouse is a large single-story or clear-span building used for storage, distribution, manufacturing, or logistics. These properties range from 20,000 to over 1,000,000 square feet with high ceilings, truck courts, and loading docks. CAM charges are lower than retail or office because common areas are minimal, but exterior maintenance and shared infrastructure costs still apply.

Flex space is a hybrid commercial property combining office, warehouse, showroom, or light manufacturing uses in a single building. These versatile properties typically feature 15% to 50% office finish with the remainder as open warehouse or production space. CAM charges reflect the mixed-use nature, with different cost profiles for the office and industrial portions.

A mixed-use development combines residential, retail, office, and sometimes hospitality uses in a single integrated property. These projects share infrastructure like parking garages, lobbies, and mechanical systems across different use types. CAM allocation in mixed-use properties is among the most complex, as costs must be fairly divided between fundamentally different occupant types.

A standalone pad site (or outparcel) is a freestanding single-tenant building located on the periphery of a larger shopping center or commercial development. Fast food restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and auto service businesses commonly occupy these sites. CAM obligations vary widely: some pad tenants share in the center's CAM pool while others are responsible only for their own parcel.

A grocery-anchored center is a retail shopping center where a supermarket or grocery store serves as the primary anchor tenant, typically occupying 40,000 to 70,000 square feet. The remaining inline spaces house complementary tenants like restaurants, salons, medical clinics, and service businesses. CAM structures reflect the anchor's dominant position and negotiating power.

A community shopping center ranges from 100,000 to 350,000 square feet and is anchored by a discount department store, supermarket, or large drugstore. These centers serve a broader trade area than neighborhood centers and include a wider mix of tenants. CAM charges cover shared parking, landscaping, signage, and the greater common area footprint.

A neighborhood center is a small to mid-size retail property of 30,000 to 100,000 square feet, typically anchored by a supermarket or large drugstore. These centers serve the daily convenience needs of the surrounding residential community. CAM charges are moderate and cover shared parking, landscaping, and basic common area maintenance.

A data center is a specialized facility designed to house computing infrastructure, servers, and networking equipment. These properties require massive power capacity, redundant cooling systems, and uninterruptible power supplies. CAM or operating expense charges in data centers are dominated by electricity, HVAC, and security costs, making them fundamentally different from any other commercial property type.