Marketing Firm Canvas Worldwide Doubles HQ Footprint in El Segundo

A media marketing agency based on Los Angeles’ Westside has relocated and nearly doubled its West Coast headquarters to the other side of the region’s Silicon Beach tech hub. 

Canvas Worldwide inked a 68,301-square-foot lease at Ascend, an 87,126-square-foot, Frank Gehry-designed office campus at 2330 Utah Avenue in El Segundo. Beverly Hills-based landlord NSB Associates developed the property in 2018.

Canvas, which also has East Coast headquarters in New York City, currently occupies a 36,000-square-foot space at 12015 Bluff Creek Drive in L.A.’s Playa Vista neighborhood. Yet Canvas’s growth and desire for more office amenities necessitated a roomier and more inspiring space, Paul Woolmington, Canvas’ CEO, said in a statement. 

“Our new El Segundo headquarters is more than just a larger space,” Woolmington said. “It’s a reflection of our momentum, our culture of innovation, and our investment in the future of our people and our clients.”

JLL’s Jason Fine and Blake Searles represented Canvas in the lease deal, while NSB was represented in-house. 

“As a creative company, it’s essential that we identified a space for Canvas that is a unique building, with unique design elements that represents their culture, fosters collaboration, and accommodates its growth,” Fine said in a statement. “2330 Utah Avenue is a one-of-a-kind project designed by Frank Gehry, offering 24-foot ceilings, large windows and skylights that flood the space with natural light, efficient floor plates, and private outdoor space. This also speaks to the fact that El Segundo is very much attractive for media and creative tenants.”

Many growing and established companies have been drawn to El Segundo’s business-friendly vibe and beachfront locale, especially as an affordable alternative to the high-end product in nearby Santa Monica and Silicon Beach. For example, food robotics startup Shinkei Systems recently doubled its headquarters space in the coastal city with a 15,000-square-foot lease at Smoky Hollow Industries’ Standard Works campus. 

“With a growing community of media and innovation-driven firms, our city provides the environment and inspiration for companies to thrive,” El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel said in a statement. “Canvas’ expansion into a distinctive, collaborative space reflects both their vision and our city’s status as a hub for cutting-edge creativity.”

Nick Trombola can be reached at ntrombola@commercialobserver.com.