LA JOLLA, Calif. -- A new office building in La Jolla has many employees looking forward to their drive to work.
Megan Upp doesn't rush to leave work when she's off the clock.
"I spend extra time in the office rather than try to get out as fast as possible," she said.
The reason why: foosball, free snacks and a young, hip vibe.
"It's comfortable. It's fun. I have a lot of friends here. We have fun things to do. It's great," said Upp.
But that's only half of it. Upp is a software engineer for tech firm Neustar, one of the first tenants at the $100 million One La Jolla Center. The state-of-the-art office building plans to hold a grand opening on Thursday.
The One La Jolla Center is about 20 percent leased right now. Floors 6-15 are still in what they call "shell condition," which means they can still be snapped up by companies that want to sign a lease.
Parts of the center look more like a luxury hotel. A fitness center offers free classes, and surfers can shower and store their boards in big lockers. A TV monitor gives wait time estimates for an Uber pickup.
"This building was designed to enable companies to recruit and retain the very best and the brightest," said Liza Strom, senior leasing director for the Irvine Company, the building's owner.
In many cases, well beyond their shift.
The Irvine Company is advertising rents between $4.35 and $4.65 a square foot, making it among the most expensive office space in San Diego County.
