Trusted Advisors in Public-Private Real Estate Development

Three KMA Principals - Debbie Kern, Julie Romey and Kevin Engstrom - will teach an accredited course called Real Estate Development and Reuse for CALED's Accredited California Economic Developer (ACE) program, which is a new certification program offered through a partnership between CALED; the California Academy for Economic Development; the California State University, Fresno; and the University Business Center.

On July 9, 2019 the Oakland City Council unanimously approved Kaiser Permanente’s proposed project, a consolidated headquarters in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood that was previously announced on June 17.  The massive 28-story office building to rise at 2100 Telegraph will encompass 1.5 million square feet- making it the largest office building in Oakland.   

Keyser Marston was the City’s real estate advisor for the City-owned parcel at 2100 Telegraph, which was the last parcel needed by Developer Lane Partners to assemble the project site, as a block of adjacent parcels was previously acquired. 

Major changes are soon to be underway at Downtown San Diego’s famed -- but in recent years increasingly vacant -- Horton Plaza regional mall.  After unanimous approval from the San Diego City Council on May 20^th, new ownership is moving forward with an ambitious plan to renovate the center and create a vibrant mixed-use use tech hub “The Campus at Horton”. 

On April 30^th, the City of Sacramento approved establishment of a “Destination Sacramento Program”.  Its goal is the revitalization of the 28-acre historic waterfront into a more vibrant entertainment district, including addition of new attractions to bolster resident & tourist visits to the waterfront.

At the City’s request, KMA produced a Revenue Potential Study showing the economic impacts of a successful revitalization.  KMA evaluated the sales tax and hotel room nights currently generated by Old Sacramento, the performance levels of other successful entertainment districts in California and elsewhere, and the magnitude of tax revenues and jobs that Old Sacramento could potentially generate.

On March 12, the San Luis Obsipo County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in favor of a major amendment to the County's existing Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. The updated policy, which takes effect July 1, would require that developers make 8 percent of their units affordable or pay in-lieu fees that are tiered based on a home’s square footage.

The future Oceanside Beachfront Resort (Project) broke ground in February 2019.  The Project will consist of two hotels, developed by S.D. Malkin Properties, and operated by Joie de Vivre and Destination Hotels. After years of planning efforts, the Project will be the largest newly constructed development on the San Diego County coast in over two decades. 

In September 2016, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 1500, enabling the California Transportation Commission (Caltrans) to relinquish State Route 75 (SR 75) to the Cities of Imperial Beach and San Diego.  The portion of SR 75 - Palm Avenue - that runs through the City of Imperial Beach is one of two major commercial corridors in the City.  The City hired Keyser Marston Associates, Inc. (KMA) to identify the advantages and disadvantages of the relinquishment from an economic and financial perspective.

On October 16^th, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to approve Build Inc’s proposed redevelopment at India Basin, transforming the 17-acre waterfront site into a mixed-use community featuring 1,575 residential units (25% affordable), 145,000 SF of commercial space and open space that will become part of the India Basin Shoreline Park.  KMA advised the developer throughout the entitlement process and provided analysis informing parties of the fiscal and economic impacts of the project.

On April 24th, 2018 the San Diego Unified Port District (District) Board of Commissioners and the Chula Vista City Council approved a Disposition and Development Agreement and related Plan of Finance with Houston-based RIDA Development for the development of a resort hotel and convention center on the Chula Vista Bayfront (CVB).  The planned $1 billion development encompasses a 1,600-room waterfront resort hotel and 275,000-SF convention center on 36.5 acres.   The Port authorized a Coastal Development permit on June 18th, 2019.