Chapter events

East Bay Meet Up
May
1

East Bay Meet Up

Wednesday, May 1, from 5:00PM - 7:00PM

You are invited to an informal wine and cheese gathering to meet your fellow LAI Golden Gate chapter members in the East Bay.

Members: $25 each

Please be sure your dues are current.
To pay your dues, please visit
lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."

Email Lori Horan to reserve and purchase tickets via check or Zelle.

 
 
 
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Program - San Francisco’s Waterfront Transformation
Apr
16

Program - San Francisco’s Waterfront Transformation

San Francisco’s Waterfront Transformation: The New Waterfront Resilience Program

San Francisco's waterfront has seen numerous major transformations over its history. Driven by the existential crises of climate change and rising sea levels, the City has a need — and an opportunity — to transform its waterfront once again. Like many cities globally, San Francisco grapples with the present-day challenges of coastal flooding and seismic vulnerability. These threats are poised to intensify over time, putting structures, small enterprises, employment, transportation, and essential services at risk. This program will delve into the intricacies of the Port of San Francisco’s recently released Waterfront Resilience Program (WRP), a proactive initiative designed to enhance and revitalize the waterfront while concurrently mitigating the hazards of flooding and earthquakes through extensive coastal adaptations. With the recent release of The Draft Plan, a co-sponsored effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco stands at a formative moment in deciding solutions to these existential issues. The discussion will shed light on the challenges and opportunities inherent in the WRP, showcasing the adaptive strategies under consideration by the WRP team and external stakeholders. Furthermore, the session will explore the amalgamation of diverse approaches necessary to address the varied vulnerabilities, topographical nuances, and historical development intricacies present along the San Francisco waterfront.

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Members & Guests: $65 each
Public Sector Members: $55 each*
Late Registration (after Apr. 12): $75 each

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.

Members must be current with their dues to attend the program. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Brad Benson, Program Manager, Port of San Francisco

Brad Benson joined the Port of San Francisco in 2005 and serves as the Waterfront Resilience Program Director. He currently oversees the Waterfront Resilience Program efforts, including the up to $5 billion Embarcadero Seawall Program and the United States Army Corps of Engineers/Port of San Francisco Flood Study. Previously, as Director of Special Projects, Brad developed the state legislation that guides two of the Port’s largest development projects at Pier 70 and Mission Rock. Additionally, he developed the state and local legislation that allows the Port to form infrastructure financing districts on Port property. He collaborated in the preparation of the Port’s Ten-Year Capital Plan to ensure an economically stable Port and he managed the Port’s role in the Golden State Warriors Chase Center development project in the central waterfront. He also served as the Port’s Pier 70 Waterfront Site Project Director to oversee a new proposed transit oriented, Type 1 Eco-District neighborhood in the southern waterfront.

Kevin Conger, Founding Partner, CMG Landscape Architecture

Kevin Conger is a Founding Partner of CMG Landscape Architecture and is involved in many innovative public realm projects in the Bay Area including the redevelopment of Treasure Island, Bay Meadows, Moscone Center, De-Pave Park at Alameda Point, and the Port of San Francisco’s Waterfront Resilience Program. Kevin’s mantra is that all his work is part of “One Project”, which is to improve social and ecological wellbeing through artful design in our community. Kevin is a family man and surfer with his partner Nancy and young adults Ren and Claire.

Abby Granbery, Associate Urban Designer, SITELAB urban studio

Abby Granbery is an associate urban designer and planner at SITELAB urban studio. She believes that well designed public spaces, whether in the form of streets, parks, or urban plazas, have a powerful role in not only building communities but also helping to address some of the defining issues of our time. She has led the SITELAB team in developing the design alternatives and Draft Plan for the Port’s Waterfront Resilience Program. Her technical background in integrating resiliency, mobility and urban design has spanned the city design scales and subjects; from regional network plans and adaptation plans to detailed multimodal street design. She has practiced urban design in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.

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Tour & Happy Hour - Mission Rock
Mar
12

Tour & Happy Hour - Mission Rock

Join LAI Golden Gate Chapter for a tour of the Mission Rock development, 1023 3rd Street, at 3:30 pm on Tuesday, March 12th. Meet us afterward for happy hour at 5:00 pm at Mission Bay Wine & Cheese (114 Channel Street).

Tuesday, March 12, from 3:30PM - 6:30PM

Join LAI Golden Gate Chapter for a tour of the Mission Rock development, 1023 3rd Street, at 3:30 pm on Tuesday, March 12th. Meet us afterward for happy hour at 5:00 pm at Mission Bay Wine & Cheese (114 Channel Street).

3:30 pm - Tour - starting from The Canyon (1023 3rd Street)

5:00 pm - Happy Hour at Mission Bay Wine & Cheese (114 Channel Street)

Mission Rock is the transformation of nearly 28 acres of parking lots into a new mixed-use waterfront neighborhood. The project is a public-private partnership with the San Francisco Giants, Tishman Speyer and the Port of San Francisco. Phase One consists of four buildings – two residential (537 units, including below market rate units for middle-income households), two commercial (approximately 550,000 square feet), a five-acre waterfront park and 50,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. In 2024, the project will deliver the final building in Phase One and welcome retailers, Visa and Capgemini as the first commercial users and additional residents.

Space is limited, so please sign up ASAP.

Tour + Happy Hour

$45 each (Members and guests)

$35 each (Public Sector Members only)*

Happy Hour only:

$45 each (Members and guests)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.


Carl Shannon,

Tishman Speyer

Carl Shannon is responsible for Tishman Speyer’s portfolio in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest. He is responsible for all aspects of the business while driving new initiatives such developing office product for tech and life science markets. He has developed many signature properties and is currently overseeing Mission Rock, partnering with the San Francisco Giants to create a new neighborhood on the waterfront. Residential projects have included both market and affordable homes, with the most recent project Mira, overlooking the Bay Bridge. Carl also oversees Tishman Speyer Communities, the firm’s affordable housing platform across the U.S. He is a member of the Investment Committee. Before joining Tishman Speyer in 1998, he worked for both GE Capital and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Carl received an AB, magna cum laude, and graduated with an MBA, with high honors, from Harvard University.

Maggie Kadin,

Tishman Speyer

Maggie Kadin joined Tishman Speyer in 2016 as part of the Leadership Development Program and currently oversees the Mission Rock development in San Francisco. She joined Tishman Speyer in New York before moving to San Francisco, initially working on the LUMINA and Mira condo developments before transitioning to Mission Rock. Prior to Tishman Speyer, Maggie worked at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division, concentrating on industrial companies, and the Merchant Banking Division, focusing on global capital raising and equity syndication for the firm’s direct private investment platform. Maggie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago.

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Program - State of the Market
Feb
13

Program - State of the Market

State of the Market: What does 2024 hold in store for Bay Area residential, commercial and retail markets?

Please join us on Tuesday, February 13, from 11:45-1:30 pm, to hear about recent and anticipated trends in the region’s residential, commercial, and retail real estate markets. How are hybrid work and rising interest rates affecting where people choose to live, work and shop? What is the outlook for commercial leasing and building performance? What variation do we see across the region? Is a “new normal” in sight?

Three leading brokers will discuss today’s market dynamics, as well as their thoughts on market evolution we can expect in the foreseeable future.

  • Residential: Eve Myers Loecher, Senior Vice President, Eastdil Secured

  • Commercial: Chris Roeder, Executive Managing Director, JLL

  • Retail: Julie Taylor, Executive Vice President, Colliers

    Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Members & Guests: $65 each
Public Sector Members: $55 each*
Late Registration (after Feb. 9): $75 each

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.

Members must be current with their dues to attend the program. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Eve Myers Loecher, Senior Vice President, Eastdil Secured

Eve, based in San Francisco, is currently a Senior Vice President at Eastdil Secured, where she has worked since 2012. As a leader within the firm’s multifamily advisory practice covering the West Coast, Eve advises clients on strategic sale, recapitalization, and joint venture executions for single assets and across geographically diverse large-scale portfolios. Over the course of her career, Eve has executed over $50 billion in transaction volume. Eve is an active member of Urban Land Institute (ULI) and serves on the boards of Stern Grove Festival and the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Eve earned a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and two sons, and loves to travel, enjoys the outdoors, and is an avid hiker and skier.

Julie Taylor, Executive Vice President, Colliers

Julie works exclusively to serve the needs of retail real estate property owners, investors, and retailers. Julie is highly active in the Downtown San Francisco trade area leasing flagship properties and representing luxury and urban retailers. She has leased almost 850,000 square feet over 90 transactions with an aggregate lease value of over $900 Million in the Union Square market. Her area of expertise spans the regional retail markets of the Bay Area and urban retail in San Francisco. Julie also leases the 100,000 square foot Salesforce Transit Center in Downtown San Francisco. Julie has had extensive experience representing chain stores expanding throughout Northern California.

Chris Roeder, Executive Managing Director, JLL

Chris is a corporate real estate advisor who leads the 45+ person brokerage team at JLL in San Francisco. He primarily represents institutional landlords and tenants throughout the city’s 90 million square foot commercial office sector. Since joining the firm in 2007, Chris has consistently been considered and awarded as one of the top brokers in the United States. He has over 25 years of experience with devising strategic leasing plans for San Francisco’s largest and most active institutional investors, helping create new submarkets such as Mid-Market, The Presidio and SOMA, and executing some of the largest and most complicated transactions over the last two decades in San Francisco. Chris is consistently recognized for his expertise in commercial real estate advisory and transaction execution and was recently awarded the Champion of Excellence award by JLL for his lifetime achievements.

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New Initiate Reception
Feb
8

New Initiate Reception

Thursday, February 8, from 5:00PM - 7:00PM

Please join the 2023 nominators and Board Members in welcoming the new initiates at the 2023 New Initiate reception!

2023 Initiates & their nominators: No charge

Other members: $45 each

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."

 
 
 
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Tour & Happy Hour - UC Law SF
Jan
18

Tour & Happy Hour - UC Law SF

Join LAI Golden Gate Chapter for a tour of UC Law San Francisco’s newest addition to the Academic Village, 198 McAllister Street, at 3:30 pm on Thursday, January 18, 2024. Meet us afterward for happy hour at 5:00 pm at Chambers, 601 Eddy Street.

Thursday, January 18, from 3:30PM - 6:30PM

Join LAI Golden Gate Chapter for a tour of UC Law San Francisco’s 198 McAllister Street, part of its Academic Village at 3:30 pm on Thursday, January 18th. Meet us afterward for happy hour at 5:00 pm at Chambers (601 Eddy St.).

3:30 pm - Tour, 198 McAllister Street

5:00 pm - Happy Hour at Chambers, 601 Eddy Street

UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) completed the second phase of its Academic Village plan, having successfully constructed a 14-story, campus housing and mixed-use complex at 198 McAllister Street which opened in August 2023. With 356,000 square feet, the new building includes academic and retail space plus 656-units of housing for students and trainees from UC Law, the University of California, San Francisco, and other institutions of higher education in the Bay Area. The developer for the project was Greystar, the architect was Perkins & Will, with Build Group serving as the general contractor. 

This project completes the second phase of UC Law’s long-range plan to transform its two-block campus into a vibrant Academic Village at the nexus of San Francisco’s Civic Center, Mid-Market, and Tenderloin neighborhoods. The first phase concluded in 2020 with completion of the Cotchett Law Center at 333 Golden Gate Avenue. The college’s first new academic building in 40 years, it was designed to Platinum LEED standards with six stories and 57,000 square feet of smart classrooms, offices, and a Sky Deck overlooking City Hall.

Space is limited, so please sign up ASAP.

Tour + Happy Hour

$45 each (Members and guests)

$35 each (Public Sector Members only)*

Happy Hour only:

$45 each (Members and guests)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.


 

David Seward

Chief Financial Officer, UC Law San Francisco

Since 1994, David Seward has served as the Chief Financial Officer of UC College of the Law, San Francisco where he is responsible for financial and business management functions, state intergovernmental relations, risk, investment and real estate management. He also oversees the development and implementation of the school's Long Range Campus Plan and its strategic centerpiece, the development of an Academic Village, providing a platform for shared campus housing and academic functionality.

Rhiannon Bailard

Chief Operating Officer, UC Law San Francisco

Rhiannon Bailard is a veteran administrator in higher education, having served at three different institutions of higher education over twenty years. As the UC Law San Francisco Chief Operating Officer, Rhiannon oversees construction, facilities, sustainability, safety and emergency preparedness, retail, events, space allocation, and housing. Her most recent accomplishment was opening the Academe at 198 on August 3, 2023. This mixed-use campus housing project successfully realized the College’s Academic Village vision by providing 656 residential units to house residents from multiple institutions of higher education including UC Law San Francisco, UCSF, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, University of the Pacific Dugoni School, and University of San Francisco.

 
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Program - Capital Markets & Real Estate Outlook for 2024
Jan
9

Program - Capital Markets & Real Estate Outlook for 2024

Looking Forward: The Capital Markets & Real Estate Outlook for 2024 and Beyond

It’s been a year! For the January 9, 2024 program we welcome LAI member Margaret McKnight, Partner and Head of Portfolio Solutions at StepStone. StepStone is a global allocator investing in numerous asset classes, including $180 billion total capital responsibility for real estate (as of 9/30/2023). Margaret will provide StepStone’s perspective on capital markets, the impact of potentially stabilizing interest rates and preferred property types for investments. Join us and bring your good questions about what to expect in 2024.

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Members & Guests: $65 each
Public Sector Members: $55 each*

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.

Members must be current with their dues to attend the program. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Margaret McKnight, Partner and Head of Portfolio Solutions

, StepStone

Margaret is a member of the real estate team at StepStone and focuses on various investment and portfolio management activities. She is also a committee member of the StepStone Charitable Giving Program and on the Global Allocation Committee.

Prior to joining StepStone, Margaret spent more than a decade at Carlyle’s Metropolitan Real Estate, where she served as the co-Chief Investment Officer and was the fund head for Metropolitan’s Global Funds series. She was a Consultant with Cambridge Associates and held various roles with JP Morgan. Margaret sits on the Investment Committee for Sutter Health, the fifth largest US non-profit community-based healthcare provider and the Real Assets Investment Subcommittee for Swarthmore College. She recently served as a Senior Advisor to Juniper Square, focused on Capital Markets applications of their investment management software.

Margaret graduated with high honors from Swarthmore College and earned an MBA from New York University.

Faye Beverett, Retired Principal

, Bard Consulting

Faye has worked as a consultant and principal in real estate since 1984. She joined Bard Consulting in 2004 and became a principal in 2006. While at Bard, Faye helped primarily large pension funds with investment manager due diligence, real estate investment analysis, transaction structuring, negotiation, legal documentation review and asset valuation. Prior to Bard, Faye had her own consulting and investment firm, served as a vice president for Catellus Development Corporate (prior to its acquisition by Prologis) and worked as a real estate consultant for Deloitte. Faye is a member of the Urban Land Institute and a board member for the Lambda Alpha Golden Gate Chapter.

Faye has a BS in Agricultural Economics from UC Davis, and an MBA from UC Berkeley.

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Tour - IKEA San Francisco Meeting Place
Dec
14

Tour - IKEA San Francisco Meeting Place

  • 945 Market Street San Francisco, CA, 94103 United States (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Get a Behind the Scenes Tour of the San Francisco Meeting Place (IKEA) Before It Opens in 2024! Space is Limited!

Thursday, December 14, from 2:00PM - 4:00PM

Ingka Centres (which we know as IKEA) acquired the iconic six-floor building at 945 Market Street in 2020 and is developing a unique mix of retail, office space, food & beverage, entertainment, and of course, the IKEA store. They are building a much needed “Meeting Place” for this diamond in the rough Mid-Market neighborhood.

IKEA City San Francisco opened in August of this year to rave reviews. Together with the Meeting Place, the new development will offer a flexible co-working space Hej!Workshop with Industrious (3rd largest co-working space company in the U.S.), Saluhall– (food hall), and other uses such as digital experiences and wellness. The Meeting Place is expected to open in Spring 2024.

Ingka Centres is part of the Ingka Group (which also includes IKEA Retail and Ingka Investments). Ingka Centres has 50 years of experience in shopping centers and today works with over 3,000 brands across its portfolio of 33 shopping centers in 13 markets. The company hosts and serves more than 370 million visitors each year at its IKEA anchored meeting places. Ingka Centres creates its meeting places by collaborating with local communities, as well as its tenants and partners, to ensure they are destinations with emotional meaning that add value and build social connections.

Tour

Cost: $10 (Members only*)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."

*Please contact us if you’d like to bring guests



Miia Kautovaara, Meeting Place Manager, Ingka Centres North America

Miia Kautovaara is a global retail and real estate professional, strategic business developer and change leader with more than 20 years of professional experience. Her professional background spans a broad range of retail sectors--food, fashion and home furnishings. In 2012, Miia joined IKEA and opened the first IKEA-anchored shopping center in Finland. In 2017 she moved to Sweden and was part of Ingka Centres global team in various roles within Expansion, Concept, Strategy and Sustainability.

In her current role as Meeting Place Manager she will create, drive, and develop the new Meeting Place in San Francisco. As the first Meeting Place Manager in Ingka Centres North America, she also leads setting up the business operations in the new market and oversees all assets in North America (US and Canada).

Besides her job, Miia is actively contributing to the business community as Business Advisor, Board member, Speaker and Mentor. She has huge passion for sustainability and growing the business responsibly. She lives in Marin County with her family and enjoys yoga and hiking during her free time.

 
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New Initiates Gala
Nov
30

New Initiates Gala

Lambda Alpha International Golden Gate Chapter's 2023 New Initiate Gala

Date: Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023

Time: 6-9:30 pm

Location: Four Seasons Hotel, 757 Market St.

Cost: $250 per person before Nov. 15; $275 after

Please consider sponsoring an initiate by clicking the “Purchase tickets” link below:

Email Lori Horan to reserve and purchase tickets or sponsorships via check or Zelle.

 

Join us in welcoming our new initiates

Daniel Adams | Laura Barr | Mike Buhler | Tina Chang | Ed Conlon | Ramie Dare | Jennifer Devlin-Herbert | Marc Fisher | Alicia Guerra | Christine Haas Georgiev | Kristen Jensen | Maggie Kadin | Jon Lau | Ted Lieser | Paul Moran | Judi Mosqueda | Eric Newberg | Bob Nibbi | Chris Rivielle | Natalie Sandoval | Ann Silverberg | Sujata Srivastava | Richard Sucre | Benedict Tranel | Anna Van Degna | Tim Vrabel | Marcel Wilson | Malcolm Yeung

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Program - Revitalizing Downtown: Part 3
Sep
12

Program - Revitalizing Downtown: Part 3

Revitalizing Downtown San Francisco Series, Part 3

Adaptive reuse of vacant office, ground floor activation, neighborhood programming – all are important approaches discussed for revitalizing Downtown San Francisco. But how do these and other strategies come together to produce a coherent vision for the future? What is required to ensure the future neighborhood is resilient, economically vibrant, and socially inclusive? And what policy changes, financial incentives, or other actions should the City prioritize to achieve this vision? In May, the City and County of San Francisco and the Urban Land Institute partnered to bring together a national and local Advisory Services Panel to consider these questions for the Financial District. Representatives from the City and from the ULI Panel will share the resulting recommendations and will discuss the work the City is advancing to revitalize Downtown.

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Members & Guests: $65 each
Public Sector Members: $55 each*

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.

Members must be current with their dues to attend the program. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Anne Taupier, Director of Development, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Anne Taupier serves as the Director of Development overseeing the management and entitlement of large private and public mixed-use development and affordable housing projects on behalf of the City of San Francisco. Her projects include Hunter’s Point Shipyard, 2013 America’s Cup Host City, 5M, The Plumber’s Union Development, The Conservatory of Music student housing, India Basin, the Flower Mart, Potrero Power Station and Balboa Reservoir. Prior to working in the Mayor’s Office, Anne was an investigator for the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney. Anne is a life-long trail runner and former competitive cyclist and tri-athlete.

Kate Collignon, Partner

, HR&A Advisors

Kate Collignon helps communities implement inclusive economic growth and real estate development strategies. Her practice at HR&A Advisors – a nationwide consulting firm that has worked to create more equitable, resilient, and dynamic communities for nearly 50 years – has spanned management of some of the most complex public and private development initiatives in New York City, to cultivation of economic turnarounds in small and mid-sized cities across the Midwest and Northeast, to collaboration with cities across the country around downtown revitalization pre- and post-COVID. Kate previously served as Development Director with Brookfield Properties, as Senior Vice President for Development at the NYC Economic Development Corporation, and on the faculty of the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Mike Grisso, Senior Vice President, Development and Land Planning,

Kilroy Realty Corporation

Mike Grisso is a Senior Vice President at Kilroy Realty Corporation (KRC), a developer and operator of high-quality commercial properties on the West Coast for more than 65 years. Mike has over 20 years of real estate development experience and leads KRC’s planning and entitlement efforts in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Prior to joining KRC in July 2014, Mike was a Senior Project Manager at the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and its successor, the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure. Mike serves on the Executive Committee of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, on the Board of the Bay Area Council, on the Executive Committee of the East Cut Community Benefit District, as a Member of ULI’s Urban Development Mixed Use Council, and is Former President of LAI’s Golden Gate Chapter.

Daniel A. Sider, AICP
Chief of Staff, San Francisco Planning Department

Dan’s career in public service has spanned more than two decades, serving four planning directors and five mayoral administrations. As the Chief of Staff, he is responsible for department-wide efficiency and accountability, complex interdivisional and interagency projects, and executive-level policy guidance. In partnership with the Mayor’s Office, Board of Supervisors, and other City departments, Dan works to improve San Francisco’s built environment and increase the production of housing at all levels of affordability for current and future San Franciscans. Dan has served the Planning Department in a variety of capacities, including as the Director of Executive Programs, Assistant Zoning Administrator, Department Ombudsman, Manager of Legislative Affairs, and as a Principal Planner. He also served as the Director of City Greening under Mayor Gavin Newsom. A native San Franciscan, Dan holds a bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego and a Master in Urban Planning degree from Harvard University. He lives halfway outside the fog-belt in Cole Valley.

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Program - Residential Conversion Panel
Jul
11

Program - Residential Conversion Panel

Office to Residential Conversion in Downtown SF: Promise, Problems, and Pathways

Please note venue change - Wells Fargo Penthouse, 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco

Downtowns across the country are seizing on residential conversions to remedy office vacancy and lack of activity resulting from the rise of remote work. Are conversions in Downtown San Francisco sufficiently attractive – physically and financially – to property owners and developers to merit investment? Can recent legislation designed to enhance the appeal of conversion build momentum? What else needs to happen to strengthen Downtown San Francisco? Panelists representing the development, architecture, and policy making communities will discuss the economic and physical prospects of office to residential conversion in San Francisco, and opportunities to fuel activity and investment Downtown. 

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Members & Guests: $65 each
Public Sector Members: $55 each*

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.

Members must be current with their dues to attend the program. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Sujata Srivastava, SPUR

As the San Francisco Director for SPUR, Sujata works with stakeholders and community members to implement policies that will advance equity, sustainability, and prosperity in San Francisco. She is currently leading SPUR’s policy research and advocacy for San Francisco’s downtown revitalization, as well as improving housing affordability and sustainable transportation choices in the city. Sujata has over 20 years of experience directing research and policy analysis for cities and regions across the United States and in Latin America. Before joining SPUR, she was a principal at Strategic Economics, a Berkeley-based urban economics consulting firm. Sujata holds a Master’s degree in City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College.

Eric Tao, L37

Eric brings more than 20-years of leadership experience in the real estate industry managing over $1 billion in new developments including 2,000 multifamily units and mixed-use assets in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a founding principal at Avant Group (AGI) he managed multifamily development investments for two CalPERS funds and several smaller family offices. Eric is a graduate of Pomona College in Claremont, CA and received his Juris Doctorate from UC Hastings College of Law. He currently serves as the Chair of the San Francisco ULI District Council and on the Board of SPUR.

Jack Sylvan, SDG LLC

Jack is founder and principal of SDG, LLC, a San Francisco-based development company delivering exceptional value to investors, partners and clients on complex and innovative mixed-use development opportunities. Prior to forming SDG, Jack served as Senior Vice President of Development for Forest City Realty Trust and Brookfield Properties and spent eight years in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office overseeing large public-private real estate development projects. Jack currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Fisher Center for Real Estate at UC Berkeley and the Board of Directors of SPUR. He holds a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of California at Berkeley and a dual Bachelor of Arts and Sciences from the University of California at Davis.

Ben Tranel, Gensler

Ben Tranel is an architect focused on the transformational power of design. As a Principal with Gensler, over his last 17 years in the San Francisco office, he has grown the firm’s practice, refined its working methods, and strengthened relationships locally and abroad. Notable projects include his work on the 632-meter Shanghai Tower, the Tower at PNC Plaza in Pittsburgh, Burlingame Point development, and 200 Park in San Jose. Ben is a graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, and he resides with his family in San Francisco.

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Tour - Presidio Tunnel Tops
Jun
8

Tour - Presidio Tunnel Tops

Join us in the sequel to the fabulous Tunnel Tops presentation by Michael Boland, Chief Park Officer of The Presidio Trust.

Thursday, June 8, from 3:30PM - 5:00PM

Join us in the sequel to the fabulous Tunnel Tops presentation by Michael Boland, Chief Park Officer of The Presidio Trust.

This sequel was worth the wait! Join us in the sequel to the fabulous Tunnel Tops presentation by Michael Boland, Chief Park Officer of The Presidio Trust. Michael will lead members on an intimate tour of the newest edition to the Presidio—The Tunnel Tops Park! He’ll also provide us with the inside scoop in developing the must-see San Francisco attraction. It’s not just us who think it—over 600 national and international publications agree!

Tour

Cost: $5 (Members only*)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."

*Please contact us if you’d like to bring guests


Michael Boland

Presidio Trust, Chief Park Officer

Since 2001, Michael Boland has played a key role in transforming the historic Presidio army base into a world class national park site. As Chief Park Officer, he leads an interdisciplinary team that has created comprehensive visitor infrastructure, restored the Presidio’s mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes, established national park experiences serving urban youth and their families, and reinvented the site as a unique financially self-sufficient national park for all. Michael has a B.A. in Architecture and a Masters in Landscape Architecture and City Planning, all from UC Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

 
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Tour - Pier 70, Building 12
May
24

Tour - Pier 70, Building 12

Join LAI Golden Gate Chapter for a tour of Pier 70, Building 12, at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, May 24. Meet us afterward for happy hour at 5:00 pm at The Plant Cafe Organic.

Wednesday, May 24, from 3:30PM - 6:00PM

Join LAI Golden Gate Chapter for a tour of Pier 70, Building 12, at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, May 24. Meet us afterward for happy hour at 5:00 pm at The Plant Cafe Organic.

3:30 pm - Building 12 tour

5:00 pm - Happy Hour at The Plant Cafe Organic

Built in 1941 for the Word War II shipbuilding effort, Building 12, a football-field-sized steel structure is a focal point for a new generation of making and industry with an eclectic mix of maker spaces accessible to the public, local artisan retail, neighborhood serving retail, commercial office space and event space.

Brookfield Properties is the developer of Pier 70, a new 28-acre neighborhood at a historic shipyard property along San Francisco’s Central Waterfront adjacent to the Dogpatch neighborhood. The project is a public-private partnership with the Port of San Francisco. The plans, created with the community, are a natural extension of Dogpatch. New elements include housing across the spectrum of affordability, waterfront parks and open spaces, commercial office and life science space, a waterfront arts building, light industrial space for local makers and manufacturers, and rehabilitated historic buildings.

Space is limited so please sign up ASAP.

Tour + Happy Hour

Cost: $45 (Members only)

$35 each (Public Sector Members only)*

Happy Hour only:

$45 each (Members and guests)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."

*Public sector members must pay by Zelle (recipient name: info@laisf.org) to receive the discount.


 

Tim Bacon

Brookfield Properties, Sr. Director, Development, Commercial

Tim applies 20 years of urban retail and mixed-use real estate development experience in San Francisco and other west coast markets leading Pier 70's development team. He oversees the rehabilitation and reuse of Building 12, the primary historic asset at Pier 70. He also directs Pier 70's horizontal development, the historic rehabilitation and reuse of Buildings 2 and Building 21 and the overall Pier 70 strategy for retail and maker leasing.

 

Transportation information

Address to type into GPS if you are driving or calling a Lyft: 999 Michigan St. San Francisco, CA 94107. Note: if you are calling an Uber, the address is “The Noonan Building”. Parking is available next to the fences.

 Facing east, you will see a silver metal sliding gate (cross hatched below). This is where we will meet before heading in for the tour.  

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Program - Union Square Strikes Back
Mar
14

Program - Union Square Strikes Back

Please note venue change - Wells Fargo Penthouse, 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco

The Union Square Alliance is playing a central role in the recovery and resurgence of Union Square and all of downtown San Francisco. In November 2022, the Alliance released its new Strategic Plan (click here for link to the plan), which imagines a bustling, complete downtown neighborhood with shoppers, visitors, workers, and residents and includes key components highlighting Clean and Safe, Economic Development, Marketing and Advertising and Public Realm. Marisa Rodriguez, CEO, and Ken Rich, COO, from the Union Square Alliance will share an overview of the Plan and talk about the vision for Union Square and how it fits into the future of downtown as a whole.

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Luncheon: $65 per person (Members & Guests)

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Marisa Rodriguez, CEO, Union Square Alliance

Marisa is a collaborative and mission-driven leader with over 15 years of experience in public policy, regulatory and legal affairs, community relations, and the public realm. Her breadth of knowledge in the public domain allows her to empathetically communicate with diverse constituents, uplift voices, and forge lasting partnerships with key stakeholders. Her expertise lies in her ability to develop deep and lasting relationships between government, private sector, and community partners.

Marisa has a background as an Assistant District Attorney and as a San Francisco City Department Head (for the Office of Cannabis) that speaks to her extensive experience with public policy and ability to bolster communities. She has an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business and a JD from USF School of Law.

Ken Rich, COO, Union Square Alliance

Ken Rich is a city planning and real estate development leader with 25 years of experience working on planning and development projects and policy in San Francisco and around the Bay Area. Ken served as Director of Development for San Francisco Mayors Ed Lee and London Breed from 2010 to 2020, where he led the real estate team within the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development. Projects approved under Ken’s direction focused on low- and middle-income housing, waterfront revitalization, workforce development and the arts.

Prior to working as Director of Development, Ken worked for more than 10 years on land use planning at the San Francisco Planning Department, where among other projects, he led the City’s initiative to adopt the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan, which rezoned a large portion of southeastern San Francisco in order to encourage more housing while protecting industrial businesses.

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Luncheon - State of the Market
Feb
14

Luncheon - State of the Market

Please note venue change - Wells Fargo Penthouse, 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco

State of the Market:  How are the Bay Area commercial, retail and residential markets faring in this post-pandemic world?

Please join us on Tuesday, February 14, from 11:45-1:30 pm, to hear about the latest trends in the everchanging commercial, retail and residential real estate markets.  How is the hybrid work model affecting current leasing activity and where people are choosing to live?  What do future market and space planning trends look like?  Which trends are fleeting and which ones are here to stay?

Three leading brokers will discuss the current market dynamics in the commercial, retail and residential real estate markets, as well as their thoughts on how these markets are changing in the post-pandemic world.

Commercial: Elizabeth Hart, President of Leasing, North America, Newmark

Retail: Julie Taylor, Executive Vice President, Colliers

Residential: Eve Myers Loecher, Senior Vice President, Eastdil Secured

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Luncheon: $65 per person (Members & Guests)

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Elizabeth (Liz) Hart, President of Leasing, North America, Newmark

Liz was recently promoted to serve as President of Leasing, North America at Newmark, where she previously served as Vice-Chairman. In her new role, she will work across North America and stay involved with her San Francisco clients and also serve on Newmark’s executive committee. Liz has completed transactions totaling close to 35 million square feet and over $4.2 billion in value on behalf of building owners and tenants. Liz is well versed in San Francisco’s zoning and entitlement processes. She has represented numerous large-block developments and helped reposition large-scale projects that have transformed the City’s skylines.

Eve Myers Loecher, Senior Vice President, Eastdil Secured

Eve, based in San Francisco, is currently a Senior Vice President at Eastdil Secured, where she has worked since 2012. As a leader within the firm’s multifamily advisory practice covering the West Coast, Eve advises clients on strategic sale, recapitalization, and joint venture executions for single assets and across geographically diverse large-scale portfolios. Over the course of her career, Eve has executed over $50 billion in transaction volume. Eve is an active member of Urban Land Institute (ULI) and serves on the boards of Stern Grove Festival and the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

Julie Taylor, Executive Vice-President, Colliers

Julie works exclusively to serve the needs of retail real estate property owners, investors, and retailers. Julie is highly active in the Downtown San Francisco trade area leasing flagship properties and representing luxury and urban retailers. She has leased almost 850,000 square feet over 90 transactions with an aggregate lease value of over $900 Million in the Union Square market. Her area of expertise spans the regional retail markets of the Bay Area and urban retail in San Francisco. Julie also leases the 100,000 square foot Salesforce Transit Center in Downtown San Francisco. Julie has had extensive experience representing chain stores expanding throughout Northern California.

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Luncheon - Looking Forward: The Economic & Real Estate Outlook for 2023
Jan
10

Luncheon - Looking Forward: The Economic & Real Estate Outlook for 2023

Please note venue change - Wells Fargo Penthouse, 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco

In January 2022, we spoke with Amy Price, Bental GreenOak and heard her measured optimism for the year ahead. At the time, we wondered was inflation transitory? How much longer would the Fed keep rates low? And, as we learned to “live with COVID” was 2022 the year we sorted out “the future of office”?

It’s been a year! For the January 10, 2023 discussion, moderated by LAI Golden Gate board member Mary Corley, we welcome LAI member Randall Sakamoto, President, Rosen Consulting Group, to provide the RCG perspective on the economy and real estate outlook. Top of mind issues include:

  • Inflation and interest rates

  • Are we in a recession?

  • Will office recover (in CBDs?)

  • Where are we seeing green shoots in the Bay Area?

  • What does the future office look like?

Join us and bring your good questions about what to expect in 2023. 

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Luncheon: $65 per person (Members & Guests)

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Our speakers

Randall Sakamoto, Rosen Consulting Group

Randall Sakamoto is President and Director of Research of Rosen Consulting Group (“RCG”). Randall  frequently presents and moderates industry panels, and has advised several of the largest successful public and private capital raises. He has over 20 years of experience in real estate research, consulting and advisory services. Randall received a dual B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Claremont McKenna College. He is a member of LAI, ULI, National Association for Business Economics and NAREIT. He is on the board of Community Education Partnerships, an Oakland-based non-profit organization, focused on increasing learning opportunities and academic achievement of students experiencing homelessness and housing instability.

Mary Corley, Rosen Consulting Group

Mary Corley is Senior Vice President, Director of Business Development, of RCG. Mary’s industry knowledge includes research on macro and local economics, affordable housing, and land use policy. Previous to RCG, Mary was responsible for equity capital raising for BRIDGE Housing Corporation. Mary is also Executive Director for UC Berkeley's Fisher Center for Real Estate & Urban Economics Policy Advisory Board. She received a Master in City Planning from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in Sociology from San Francisco State University. She is a member of ULI and serves as nomination committee co-chair of LAI- Golden Gate Chapter. She is a lecturer and career advisor in the Abbey Real Estate Development + Design Program at UC Berkeley.

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New Initiates Gala
Dec
1

New Initiates Gala

Lambda Alpha International Golden Gate Chapter's 2022 New Initiate Gala

Date: Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022

Time: 6-9:30 pm

Location: Four Seasons Hotel, 757 Market St.

Cost: $250 per person before Nov. 15; $265 after

Join the LAI Golden Gate Chapter for its 2022 New Initiate Gala, featuring emcees Rich Hillis and Meg Spriggs. Initiates to be announced soon.

Can’t attend the gala? Consider sponsoring an initiate by clicking the “Purchase tickets” link below:

Email Lori Horan to reserve and purchase tickets via check or Zelle.

 
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Luncheon - Revitalizing Downtown San Francisco Series, Part 2
Nov
8

Luncheon - Revitalizing Downtown San Francisco Series, Part 2

Please note venue change - Wells Fargo Penthouse, 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco

Downtown San Francisco is changing. Emerging challenges to the district's economic vibrancy include disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting work/life balance patterns, competition from neighboring mixed-use office districts, and changing retail dynamics. In the last of our 2-part series, hear from LAI members and key City staff, Rich Hillis, SF Planning Director, and Anne Taupier, Director of Development at the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, on the City’s efforts to revitalize Downtown San Francisco.

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Luncheon: $65 per person (Members & Guests)

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Our speakers

Rich Hillis, San Francisco Planning Department

Rich Hillis was appointed Director of the San Francisco Planning Department by Mayor London Breed in March 2020. Prior to his appointment as Planning Director, Rich was Director of the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture; Deputy Director for San Francisco's Office of Economic and Workforce Development; and served on the San Francisco Planning Commission from 2012 to 2019. Rich also coaches little league baseball and is the humorist at many LAI events.

Anne Taupier

, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Anne Taupier serves as the Director of Development overseeing the management and entitlement of large private and public mixed-use development and affordable housing projects on behalf of the City of San Francisco. Her projects include Hunter’s Point Shipyard, 2013 America’s Cup Host City, 5M, The Plumber’s Union Development, The Conservatory of Music student housing, India Basin, the Flower Mart, Potrero Power Station and Balboa Reservoir. Prior to working in the Mayor’s Office, Anne was an investigator for the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney. Anne is a life-long trail runner and former competitive cyclist and tri-athlete.

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Tour - Kaiser Auditorium and Oakland Museum of California
Oct
20

Tour - Kaiser Auditorium and Oakland Museum of California

  • 10 10th Street Oakland, CA, 94607 United States (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join LAI for a tour of the historic Kaiser Auditorium and the historic Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) Gardens.

Thursday, October 20, from 3:00PM - 6:00PM

Join LAI for a tour of the historic Kaiser Auditorium and the historic Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) Gardens.

3:00 pm - Kaiser Auditorium Hard Hat Tour

4:15 pm - Oakland Museum Gardens Tour

5:00 pm - Happy Hour at Oakland Museum’s Town Fare Cafe

Kaiser Auditorium is currently under construction. Orton Development is renovating the Kaiser Auditorium, a 215,000 square foot cultural and historic landmark built in 1914 that has been sitting vacant since 2006. The Arena space will be mixed commercial, with arts and non-profit offices. The Calvin Simmons Theatre will return as a stunning performing arts center, hosting live performances and providing event and practice space for local arts organizations. Orton’s vision is to improve both the building and the public spaces around it, creating better links to the community.

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) Gardens were completed earlier this year and are enlivened with new, environmentally sensitive plantings native to California, integrated around the garden’s landmark redwood, oak, olive trees, public sculptures, and new performance stage. These improvements—along with additional enhancements to the Museum Café, terraces and patios, central courtyard, and seating options throughout the campus—support the Museum’s vision to provide visitors with a welcoming and comfortable environment that serves a wide range of leisure and community needs. The Gardens were designed by Hood Design and the Museum Café was designed by Mark Cavagnero and Associates.

Join us after the tours for Happy Happy Hour at Oakland Museum’s Town Fare Cafe. Beverages will be available for purchase.

Cost: Free

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Event details

Location

Oakland Civic Auditorium is located at 10 10th Street and OMCA is located at 1000 Oak Street (at 10th Street) situated between downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt.

Meet at 10 10th Street for the Hard Hat Tour at 3 pm. Wear closed-toed shoes for the tour. It is an active construction site.

Meet at OMCA’s Town Fare Café on 10th Street at Fallon at 4:15 pm for the Garden Tour and 5 pm for Happy Hour.

Parking

There is street parking in the neighborhood.

The OMCA garage is located at 1000 Oak St. with entrances on Oak and 12th Streets. Parking fees are $5 per hour. Garage hours: Saturday-Thursday 6 am-7 pm (Thursdays until 9:30 pm when there is Happy Hour at Town Fare Café). ADA and families-with-stroller parking is available on the top level of the garage.

Additional parking is available at the Alco Parking Garage located at 165 13th Street at Jackson Street. Hours are subject to availability.

BART

The Tour is BARTable, conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station (between 8th and 9th streets at Oak Street). For a complete list of BART schedules, transfer information, and fares, visit bart.gov.

AC Transit

The Tour is accessible by a number of AC Transit bus lines. For more information, visit actransit.org.

Bike Parking

Free, on-street bike parking is available outside the Oak Street entrance to the Museum. Limited free covered bike parking is available in the OMCA Garage during garage hours.

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Luncheon - Revitalizing Downtown San Francisco Series, Part 1
Oct
11

Luncheon - Revitalizing Downtown San Francisco Series, Part 1

Reimagining Downtown San Francisco

Please note venue change - Wells Fargo Penthouse, 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco

Downtown San Francisco is changing. Emerging challenges to the district's economic vibrancy include disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting work/life balance patterns, competition from neighboring mixed-use office districts, and changing retail dynamics. Learn how the Downtown SF Partnership and SITELAB urban design studio are reimagining downtown's built environment through a robust "people-centered" focus on walkable and activated streets and spaces. Their public realm action plan for the district includes goals of evaluating the district's existing public realm conditions, identifying future opportunities, and recommending interventions and incorporating opinions from district stakeholders and the public through online surveys.

Guests are welcome. Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Luncheon: $65 per person (Members & Guests)

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Our speakers

Robbie Silver, Downtown SF Partnership

Robbie Silver is the Executive Director of the Downtown SF Partnership, the 43-block community benefit district that serves the Financial District and Jackson Square. Robbie took the helm during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has pivoted toward energizing a new downtown economy focused on placemaking and place management best practices that inspires a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming Downtown San Francisco for all.

Laura Crescimano

,

SITELAB urban studio

Laura Crescimano is a co-founder and leader of SITELAB urban studio. Laura’s work investigates the social and political power of space. Designing both processes and places, Laura’s projects range from Pier 70, where she led a multidisciplinary design team through the design and entitlement of a 35-acre mixed-use waterfront development in a historic industrial district in San Francisco, to the Portola Green Plan, where she collaborates with a neighborhood community group to build a vision for their neighborhood, to a graphic toolkit for the homeless services non-profit Lava Mae to open-source their mobile showers and approach to service.

 Laura has written and lectured on placemaking, urban design and the arts, temporary urbanism, design entrepreneurism, the urban evolution of the workplace, and taught Design and Activism at UC Berkeley. Laura serves on the San Francisco Waterfront Design Advisory Committee and the board of The Greenhouse Project.

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Virtual Program - UC Berkeley Campus Master Plan
Sep
13

Virtual Program - UC Berkeley Campus Master Plan

Please join the LAI Golden Gate Chapter on September 13th for a behind-the-scenes look at the newly issued UC Berkeley 2022 Campus Master Plan.

 After a multi-year, comprehensive planning process, UC Berkeley issued its 2022 Campus Master Plan, its first in nearly two decades. UC Berkeley’s Campus Architect, Wendy Hillis, AIA will present an overview of the new UC Berkeley Campus Master Plan (completed Fall 2021), which is anticipated to guide the physical development and aesthetics of the campus for the next 20 years, as well as a snapshot of current projects in design and construction.

Cost: Free (Members & Guests)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Our speaker

Wendy Hillis, AIA, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Campus Architect, UC Berkeley

Wendy has served as Assistant Vice Chancellor at Campus Architect at UC Berkeley since 2019. In this role, she provides strategic and long-range planning for the programming, design, and development of campus properties, including buildings, infrastructure, and landscape projects. Prior to her role at UC Berkeley, she was the Campus Architect at Tulane University and the Historic Preservation Architect at UNC Chapel Hill.

Wendy holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a Master of Architecture degree with a certificate in preservation from the University of Virginia.

 
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Tour - Central Subway
Aug
26

Tour - Central Subway

  • 530 Bush Street San Francisco, CA, 94108 United States (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Come tour the Chinatown and Union Square stations

More than a decade in the making, the Central Subway Project is set to open late this year! LAI members have the unique opportunity to tour two of the four new stations before they open to the public: Union Square/Market Street and Chinatown/Rose Pak stations.

The Central Subway Project will improve public transportation in San Francisco by extending the Muni Metro T Third Line through SoMa, Union Square and Chinatown. By providing a direct, rapid transit link between downtown and the existing T Third Line route on 3rd Street, the Central Subway will vastly improve transportation to and from some of the city's busiest, most densely populated areas. When the Central Subway opens, T Third Line trains will travel mostly underground from the 4th Street Caltrain Station to Chinatown, bypassing heavy traffic on congested 4th and Stockton streets.

Tour meets at 530 Bush Street, San Francisco

Tour schedule:

  • 10 am: meet at 530 Bush St. lobby level

  • 10-10:30 am: Safety briefing and pick up PPE and respirators

  • 10:30 am: walk to Chinatown station

  • 10:45 am: tour Chinatown station

  • 11:30 am: walk to Union Square station

  • 11:45 am: tour Union Square station

  • 12:30 pm: walk back to 530 Bush St. to return PPE and respirators

Release of Liability and proper attire are required. Please read Central Subway Tour Guidelines below.

Cost: Free (Space is limited - members only)

If event is sold out, please add your name to the wait list. We will offer a second tour in late September.

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Central Subway Tour Guidelines

The Central Subway Project holds the safety and health of all persons on our jobsite as our highest core value. The project is an active construction site, all our jobsite guests and visitors must abide by the following safety rules.

a. Release of Liability

A “Release From Liability” (Release) must be signed by each tour participant in order to enter the construction site. This is a release from legal responsibility for injuries arising during the Underground Tour. The signed Release must be returned to a project staff before tour can begin. If you do not sign the Release, then your entry to the underground tour will be denied. (The chapter will provide a copy of this form to all registrants)

b. Safety Training

Before the tour, guests are required to attend a safety training presentation. Please pay close attention to any special instruction regarding the Emergency Action Plan provided to you by the instructor. Tour participants must follow all instructions given.

c. Proper Attire

The following protective gear must be worn at all times in the construction area. Failure to arrive in the proper attire will disqualify you from the guided tour. Upon your arrival, you should be wearing:

  • Construction boots or hiking boots . Improper footwear means you WILL NOT be permitted to go on the tour!

  • Long Pants

The following protective gear will be provided for you on-site and must be worn at all times during the tour:

  • Hard hats

  • Safety glasses

  • High visibility safety vests

  • W-65 Self Rescuer

d. Improper Attire

Tour participants are prohibited from wearing any of the following items:

  • Open toe shoes

  • Sandals

  • Flats

  • High heels

  • Penny loafers

  • Gym shoes/sneakers

  • Short pants

  • Sleeveless tops

  • Leather sole shoes

  • Dresses

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Virtual Program - Presidio Tunnel Tops Project + Future Development
Jun
14

Virtual Program - Presidio Tunnel Tops Project + Future Development

Wondering what all the construction along Crissy Field is about? Come hear all about the new park opening on July 17 within the Presidio! The Presidio Tunnel Tops is a new 14-acre outdoor space built on the Presidio Parkway Tunnels. It connects the historic center of the park to the Presidio’s waterfront at Crissy Field. There will be amazing Golden Gate views, picnic areas, snack shack, educational facilities, and outdoor nature spaces for kids.

The presentation will also feature the Presidio’s future development and leasing plans along with an update on the Presidio’s 2.1 million square feet of leased commercial space, 1,400 residential homes, and retail and hotel assets. 

Members may invite up to two guests.

Cost: Free (Members & Guests)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Our speakers

Michael Boland, Chief Park Officer

Since 2001, Michael Boland has played a key role in transforming the historic Presidio army base into a world class national park site.  As Chief Park Officer, he leads an interdisciplinary team that has created comprehensive visitor infrastructure, restored the Presidio’s mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes, established national park experiences serving urban youth and their families, and reinvented the site as a unique financially self-sufficient national park for all.

Michael has a B.A. in Architecture, and a Masters in Landscape Architecture and City Planning, all from UC Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Joshua Bagley,

Deputy Chief Business Officer

Josh Bagley has been with the Presidio Trust since 2005 and currently serves as the Deputy Chief Business Officer. Josh plays a significant role in the Presidio Trust’s efforts to generate revenue from its six million square feet of buildings. Josh works with a dedicated team to manage 2.1 million square feet of leased commercial space, 1,400 residential homes, and hospitality assets to deliver over $100 million in revenue each year. In addition, he directs all aspects of the real estate development process having managed the rehabilitation of more than 600,000 square feet of historic buildings representing $400 million in public and private investment in the Presidio.

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Luncheon - Mass Timber/Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Trends in the Bay Area
May
10

Luncheon - Mass Timber/Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Trends in the Bay Area

What’s all the fuss about CLT?

Please join us on Tuesday, May 10, to hear about the latest trends in Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) design & construction in commercial and multi-family residential applications.  CLT is an engineered wood product that is rapidly gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to concrete and steel construction.  SKS Partners developed the first multi-story CLT building on the West Coast at 1 De Haro in San Francisco.  Come learn about the development of this building and other CLT buildings planned for the Bay Area.  Understand the benefits and trade-offs of CLT construction.  Is CLT the material of choice over steel or concrete for your next building?

Three San Francisco firms will discuss trends in CLT design and construction in the Bay Area.

  • SKS Partners

  • Swinerton Builders

  • DCI Engineers

Guests are welcome. Proof of COVID-19 vaccine will be requested at entry.

Can't make it to the luncheon? Please consider sponsoring a speaker at the "Purchase tickets" link below:

Luncheon: $75 per person (Members & Guests)

To pay by check or Zelle, please contact Lori Horan (info@laisf.org) to RSVP. Please mail your check written to "LAI Golden Gate" to Lori Horan at PO Box 1471, Galt, CA 95632.

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Our speakers

Lee Ishida, Senior Project Manager, SKS Partners

Lee Ishida is a Senior Project Manager at SKS Partners in San Francisco. She has over 14 years of structural design and construction administration experience in the commercial, private, and public building sector prior to joining SKS in 2014. At SKS, Lee has been involved with developing commercial and medical office new construction as well as redevelopment. She has been a long-time mentor, committee member, and supporter of the ACE Mentor Program across the country in Chicago, LA, and San Francisco. Lee holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas and a MS degree from Stanford University.

Jeff Brink

,

CEO, DCI Engineers

Jeff Brink has 25 years of experience in the structural engineering profession and during that time has collaborated on the design and construction of highly complex and innovative projects including residential and office high-rises, mixed-use facilities, and numerous specialty buildings. Jeff’s expertise in structural systems includes concrete, steel, and mass timber or “CLT”, which has become one of the focal points of DCI Engineers as it continues to focus on opportunities to improve the sustainability of the built environment. Jeff serves as the CEO of DCI Engineers as well as the Principal in Charge of DCI’s San Francisco office.

Patrick Otellini

,

National Affordable Housing Director, Swinerton

Patrick Otellini is the National Affordable Housing Director for Swinerton. Patrick works with owners during the preconstruction process to help them understand and navigate various jurisdictional requirements to deliver the affordable housing our communities desperately need. He manages permitting and inspections, interfaces with public-sector agencies, and acts as the community liaison on multiple projects. Prior to joining Swinerton, he served as the Chief Resilience Officer and Director of Earthquake Safety for the City and County of San Francisco under Mayor Edwin Lee. He received his Master of Construction Management from New School of Architecture and Design and his Bachelor of Political Science from Westmont College. He also serves on the boards of Rebuilding Together San Francisco and Urban Ed Academy.

Scott MacLellan

, President, Gurnet Point

President of Gurnet Point (G.P.), Scott MacLellan, leads G.P. through a variety of roles on TYPE III, IV, and V structures in the Bay Area. Their scope of work ranges from pre-construction and consulting to self-perform subcontractor and contractor roles. With a highly skilled team of project managers and field crews, the G.P. team has completed over 1.5 million square feet of structures throughout the Bay Area. With three mass timber structures completed to date, two under construction, and many more in the planning stage, G.P. has been able to identify themselves as industry leaders for the mass timber market. With an innovative approach focused heavily on the virtual construction and planning, G.P. can take on the necessary roles to help guide clients through important decisions to meet their unique project requirements.

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Land Economics Weekend - Sacramento
May
5
to May 7

Land Economics Weekend - Sacramento

SACRAMENTO 2022 LEW DETAILS

Land Economics Weekend:
LAI/LEF Board of Governors Business Meetings: Thursday, May 5, 7:30am – 4:30pm
LAI Land Economics Weekend (LEW): Thursday, May 5, 6:30pm – Saturday, May 7, 10:00pm

Land Economics Weekends are international gatherings held twice a year, are open to all members and their guests. These meetings address wider international, national and regional issues, and include tours of projects of interest within the host city. They provide a further invaluable forum for networking discussions among LAI’s wider membership. Recent gatherings have taken members to: San Diego, Washington DC, Madrid, Atlanta, Honolulu and Phoenix.

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Luncheon - Brookfield’s 5M Project
Apr
12

Luncheon - Brookfield’s 5M Project

In-person LAI luncheons are back at One Market! 

5M (5th & Mission) is a privately funded arts- and community-oriented mixed-use district of four acres framed by Mission, Fifth and Howard streets in downtown San Francisco. The project was entitled by Brookfield Properties in partnership with Hearst. Groundbreaking was in June 2019 and components completed early this year include:

  • The George, a 302-unit high rise apartment building with 30% middle income units

  • 415 Natoma, a 650,000 SF Class A office building

  • The Parks at 5M, 26,000 SF of privately owned public open space activated with free, year-round programming in collaboration with community partners

  • 20,000 SF of curated retail

  • The repurposed historic Dempster Building at 447 Minna Street, donated by Brookfield Properties to the Community Arts Stabilization Trust, for arts, cultural and educational uses.

Luncheon: $75 per person (Members & Guests)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Our speakers

Jack Sylvan
Senior Vice President, Development
Brookfield Properties

Jack Sylvan has more than 25 years of experience leading complex mixed use public private real estate development projects through the entirety of the development process from entitlement to delivery, and currently serves as Senior Vice President of Development at Brookfield Properties. Jack’s projects include Pier 70, 5M and Stonestown Galleria, representing 8 million square feet of residential and commercial space, new parks and delivery of public and private infrastructure. Jack joined Brookfield in 2018 by way of acquisition of Forest City Realty Trust, and previously spent 8 years in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Economic Development overseeing public/private development projects including leading the planning and negotiation process for the Treasure Island redevelopment project.

 Jack currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Fisher Center for Real Estate at UC Berkeley and the Board of Directors of the Bay Area's premier urban policy think tank, SPUR. He holds a Masters in City Planning from UC Berkeley and a BA/BS from UC Davis.

Cutter MacLeod

Director, Asset Management

Brookfield Properties

Cutter MacLeod is currently a Director of Asset Management with Brookfield Properties, overseeing Brookfield’s approximately 3 million square-foot Bay Area office portfolio. Previously at Brookfield, Cutter oversaw the development of the 650,000 sq. ft. 415 Natoma Street office building at the 5M Project and the 1.8 million square feet of commercial office/ life sciences components at the Pier 70 Project. Prior to joining Brookfield, Cutter worked in commercial office leasing in San Francisco in which he helped negotiate over 2 million square feet of office leases on behalf of institutional owners and notable technology tenants. He holds a Master of Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California and received a BA from the University of San Francisco.

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Tour & Happy Hour - Mission Rock
Mar
23

Tour & Happy Hour - Mission Rock

  • Terry A Francois Boulevard San Francisco, CA United States (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Come tour the city's newest waterfront neighborhood

The Giants – in partnership with renowned developer Tishman Speyer and the Port of San Francisco – have collaborated with neighbors and the community at large to create a vision for Mission Rock. After nearly a decade of planning, that shared dream is about to be realized. Mission Rock will serve as a centerpiece for the emerging Central Southern Waterfront neighborhood.

 The project will be built out over three phases and full completion will include:

  •  Approximately 1,200 residential rental units, with 40% affordable to low and moderate income households.

  • Eight acres of parks and open space, including a signature waterfront park.

  • Up to 1.4 million square feet of new, office and lab space.

  • Over 200,000 square feet of neighborhood serving retail and local manufacturing space.

  • Parking structure to serve ballpark and neighborhood needs.

  • District scale heating and cooling system, and recycled water plant.

 At this point, three of the four Phase 1 buildings are under construction, as well as the streets and infrastructure to support the site.

 Join LAI Golden Gate Chapter for a tour at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 23. Space is limited so please sign up ASAP.

Please wear closed-toed shoes, and bring your own hard hat and vest if you have them.  If not, PPE will be provided. Proof of vaccination is required. Masks are required. 

Join us afterwards at 5:00 pm for a hosted Happy Hour at New Belgium Brewing at 1000a 3rd Street.

Tour + Happy Hour: $45 (Members only)

Happy Hour Only: $45 (Members and guests)

Please be sure your dues are current. To pay your dues, please visit lai.org/profile, and click the "Renew" button under "My Membership."


Tour guides

Mr. Shannon is responsible for Tishman Speyer’s portfolio in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest. He has been charged with overseeing the development of various signature developments, such as Lumina, The Infinity, and Mira, three condominium projects adjacent to San Francisco’s waterfront, and three office buildings at Foundry Square III, 222 Second Street and 555 Mission in the central business district. He is currently working with the San Francisco Giants on Mission Rock. Mr. Shannon is also a member of the Investment and Management Committees. Before joining Tishman Speyer in 1998, he worked for both GE Capital and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Mr. Shannon received an AB, magna cum laude, and graduated with an MBA, with high honors, from Harvard University.

Jeremy Bachrach joined Tishman Speyer in 2018 and currently oversees the residential and horizontal components of Mission Rock, a 28 acre mixed use development project in San Francisco. Before focusing on Mission Rock, he was responsible for entitling the 655 4th Street development, a 960 unit multifamily development in San Francisco and Brannan Square, a 1M+ SF office development. Prior to Tishman Speyer, Jeremy worked in Acquisitions at the Prado Group, a San Francisco-based developer, and at PGIM Real Estate Finance. During his time at PGIM, he underwrote over $3.0B in affordable housing senior financing, and focused on mixed income and mixed use projects with a variety of capital sources including: LIHTCs, Tax-Exempt Bonds, and Section 8. Mr. Bachrach holds a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Finance and Urban Economics from the University of Connecticut. He is also an active member of the NAIOP Young Professionals Group in San Francisco.

 

Maggie Kadin joined Tishman Speyer in 2016 as part of the Leadership Development Program and currently oversees the Mission Rock development in San Francisco. She joined Tishman Speyer in New York before moving to San Francisco, initially working on the LUMINA and Mira condo developments before transitioning to Mission Rock. Prior to Tishman Speyer, Maggie worked at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division, concentrating on industrial companies, and the Merchant Banking Division, focusing on global capital raising and equity syndication for the firm’s direct private investment platform. Maggie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago. She is also an active member of the NAIOP Young Professionals Group in San Francisco.

Navid Sarrafzadeh is in the Design and Construction group within Tishman Speyer, and is overseeing the execution of Parcel A at Mission Rock, a 385,000GSF mixed-use development consisting of a 24-story Residential tower with 283 Units, 40% of which are Affordable, 50,000GSF of Class A Office space, 15,000sqft of Amenities, and 7 Restaurant and Retail spaces. Prior to Tishman Speyer, Navid worked at DM Development, a boutique real estate development firm located in San Francisco. As the Vice President of Construction, he managed D&C for all of the firm’s residential projects throughout San Francisco and Los Angeles, in notable neighborhoods such as the Dogpatch, Potrero Hill, Hayes Valley, Cow Hollow, West Hollywood, and Hollywood. Prior to DM, Navid worked at Webcor Builders in a variety of roles, including Operations across $1B in cumulative construction contracts, Preconstruction, and Business Development overseeing $1.5B in pursuits/awards and leading the firm’s growth. Navid attended the University of California at Berkeley, and studied Architecture as well as Construction Engineering and Management. He is also an active Student Advisor at UC Berkeley in the College of Environmental Design, and has served as an Adjunct Professor at Cal State East Bay for Masters of Construction Management students.

Additional project images

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Virtual Program - Looking Forward: A Global View on Real Estate Investment Opportunities in 2022
Jan
11

Virtual Program - Looking Forward: A Global View on Real Estate Investment Opportunities in 2022

In January 2021 many of us were expecting a return to some type of "normal." We anticipated widespread and rapid application of vaccines to fight Covid, a change in Administration, and eventually, a rebounding economy. By some measures, 2021 did not meet expectations. The economy took off and we seem to be uncomfortably co-existing with Covid, all while low interest rates and the "wall of capital" inspired eye-popping returns for commercial real estate investments.  

 This year we welcome Amy Price, President of rapidly-growing BentallGreenOak, to share her market insights and outlook for 2022. In late 2018, Amy pursued a merger of her firm, Bentall Kennedy, and GreenOak, with former Morgan Stanley colleagues, to form a global investment platform. BGO is now among the top 30 investment managers globally, with investments in North America, Europe and Asia. Amy will provide her view on inflation and interest rates, where she sees opportunity and how BGO views the "deurbanization" of primary and secondary markets. BGO is among the industry leaders in Environmental, Social and Governance practices so we can expect to hear the latest on evaluating investment decisions through the ESG lens.

 LAI member Mary Corley, Rosen Consulting Group, will lead the discussion.

 Free for members and guests. Members may invite up to two guests.

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