LA luxury tower plans rooftop air taxi hub as flying cars inch closer to reality

Real estate firm Reuben Brothers is betting on the future of urban air travel, unveiling plans to bring a luxury “vertiport” to Century City through a partnership with Joby Aviation.

The proposed hub would sit atop the South Tower of the affluent Park Elm Residences at Century Plaza, repurposing an existing helipad to support Joby’s all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs — a technology Joby says could dramatically cut travel times across Los Angeles.

“Given its Century City location, [the site] is ideally positioned to anchor a broader Los Angeles vertiport network” Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Joby’s Blade Air Mobility division exclusively told the California Post . “We expect this network to completely reshape how residents move through the city, beginning with airport trips.”

The  residences features ultra-luxury condos ranging from roughly $1.4 million to more than $11 million, with prices averaging about $2,000 to over $2,600 per square foot.

If approved, residents could fly to nearby hubs including Los Angeles International Airport, Santa Monica and Van Nuys in minutes — journeys that often take hours by car in peak traffic.

Passengers would book seats through a dedicated app, with integrated ground transportation at either end of the trip via Joby’s partnership with Uber, according to a spokesperson.

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But at least initially, the service will not be open to the general public.

“The vertiport service will be reserved exclusively for residents of Park Elm Residences, designed as a private, highly curated amenity that enhances both convenience and discretion,” Jordana Yechiel, director of residential design at Reuben Brothers told the Post.

Joby, however, says that exclusivity is temporary.

While the Century Plaza location would function as a private amenity, the company plans to roll out a wider network of publicly accessible vertiports across the region once its aircraft receives full certification.

That approval process remains one of the project’s biggest hurdles.

The company has applied to the Federal Aviation Administration for certification of its aircraft — the same pathway used for traditional commercial aviation — and will also need clearance from local and regional authorities to operate across Los Angeles.

Even so, executives say the technology is nearing readiness. Joby has already completed thousands of test flights, including piloted demonstrations in the San Francisco Bay Area, as it works to build public confidence in electric air travel.

Joby described it as a potential “landmark” for integrating vertiports into residential developments globally, with Los Angeles serving as a priority launch market — in part due to its partnership with Delta Air Lines.

The vertiport itself would include a dedicated passenger lounge modeled after those operated by Joby’s subsidiary Blade in cities like New York and parts of southern France. Notably, this would be the first such facility embedded within a residential building, underscoring the project’s focus on high-end convenience.

Developers say interest in the building has been strong with the vertiport emerging as a major selling point for prospective buyers. Yechiel pointed to “strong and sustained demand,” driven not only by the property’s design and amenities, but by what she described as a forward-looking approach to connectivity.

Still, the project raises familiar questions about who benefits from emerging air mobility technology.

Critics have long warned that air taxis could remain out of reach for most people, at least in their early stages, while also raising concerns about noise, airspace congestion and broader public value.

Joby says its aircraft are designed to address some of those issues, with electric propulsion making them significantly quieter than helicopters — “barely audible when flying overhead,” according to the company — and cheaper to operate over time.

The company also argues its service will be priced competitively with existing ground transportation options, though specifics have not yet been released.

Los Angeles has become a testing ground for the technology, with several firms racing toward commercial launch. Archer Aviation — the official air taxi partner of the 2028 Olympics — is among those aiming to begin early operations as soon as this summer, pending approvals.

Joby stopped short of confirming a direct role in the Games but called the region “a great opportunity” as it works to establish an early foothold.

“The LA market is a great opportunity for Joby’s air taxis, and we plan on laying a strong foundation there,” a spokesperson told the Post when asked whether the company expects to play a role in the LA28 Games, when millions are set to descend on the city — likely worsening traffic and straining an already commuter-heavy system.