Mixed-Use: San Francisco & Portland

Back to the prospecting for active owners and developers...They are looking at more condo projects here in San Francisco and Office demand remains solid in Oakland.

Notorious Folsom Street warehouse may go condo - San Francisco Business Times - by J.K. Dineen

"The two-story warehouse at 935 Folsom St. last made news five years ago when the U.S. Department of Justice raided the property as part of a multi-agency investigation into illegal sweatshop operations. Now Eugene, Ore.-based condo developer Spring Capital Group, which bought the 14,000-square-foot property in 2005 for $4.1 million, has filed an application to replace the building with an eight-story, 75-unit condominium development.

The proposed building, designed by Portland-based Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, is glassy and modern with a green roof. It reaches 85 feet along Folsom Street, but steps down to lower townhouses opening onto the Shipley and Falmouth alleys. It will feature retail along Folsom Street, keeping with the city's efforts to transform Folsom into a pedestrian-friendly shopping boulevard connecting Rincon Hill with west SoMa. The project includes 57 parking spaces, plus, at the request of the neighborhood, motorcycle parking on the street."

Looks like Spring Capital Group does some nice work throughout the Northwest although it is hard to say how active they are currently from my cursory research effort. The architect (Ankrom Moisan) on the other hand looks to be extremely active and quite a player in sustainable design. Check out their site and the recent write-up on the Eliot Tower Project in Portland (photo right).

It is promising to see growing portfolios of projects like these even if most seem to be in Portland still.

Gas prices park new tenants at BARTable City Center (from the same article by JK Dineen)

"The one-two punch of rising gas prices and stubbornly high office rates in San Francisco is generating opportunities for Shorenstein's 3.5 million-square-foot City Center. The downtown Oakland property at the 12th Street BART station, has scored several new transit-conscious tenants, including two San Francisco companies. The complex is now 95 percent leased.

"With the price of gas skyrocketing, our location is ideal," said John Dolby, vice president of leasing for Shorenstein Realty Services. "We hear this comment often as we work with existing and potential tenants...

Obviously the sustainable community talk is not going to slowdown any time soon. The SF Office market is very solid in spite of the job loss down here in the financial district.