Reuben Brothers has announced an alliance with Joby Aviation to establish a dedicated air taxi vertiport at the Park Elm Residences at Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
The project will utilize the existing helipad at the South Tower in Century City to accommodate the operations and charging requirements of Joby’s all-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. This vehicle is designed for quiet operation with zero operating emissions and is currently in the final stages of certification for commercial use. The announcement follows a series of piloted demonstration flights recently completed across the San Francisco Bay Area, which aimed to showcase operational readiness for urban air mobility.
“Park Elm Residences at Century Plaza is expected to become the first residential development in Los Angeles to offer an in-house air taxi service integrated into residents’ lifestyles. Owners will be able to book a Joby air taxi on demand, for flights within the greater Los Angeles area, turning drives that can exceed two hours into flights as short as five minutes.”
As part of the infrastructure development, Joby plans to construct a dedicated passenger lounge at the site. This facility will be managed by Blade, a division of Joby that currently operates nine urban air mobility lounges in locations including New York and the South of France. The Century Plaza installation will represent the first time such a lounge has been integrated directly into a residential building.
Jordana Yechiel, Director of Residential Design for Reuben Brothers, stated, “At Park Elm Residences, we’re redefining luxury living. Direct access to Joby air taxi service is a truly unique amenity that elevates the resident experience today and points to a future where expanded vertiport access across Los Angeles transforms everyday convenience.”
The location is intended to serve as a primary hub for a broader vertiport network across the city. Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Joby’s Blade Air Mobility division, noted, “Given its Century City location, Park Elm Residences at Century Plaza, South Tower is ideally positioned to anchor a broader Los Angeles vertiport network. We expect this network to completely reshape how residents move through the city, beginning with airport trips.”
The two companies are working together to secure the necessary local, state, and federal approvals required to begin operations. Joby will lead the construction and management of the vertiport and lounge, as well as overseeing flight arrangements and the passenger experience. Reuben Brothers will incorporate the air taxi service as a standard amenity for residents of Park Elm.
This initiative aligns with Joby’s broader commercial strategy, which includes partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Uber. The company was also recently selected for the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, a White House-backed initiative that provides opportunities to begin early operations in 12 states this year, potentially accelerating the timeline for full commercial service.
