"Our move to Pier 1 accomplishes two good things for AMB," says Hamid Moghadam, chairman and CEO of the firm, which served as the project developer. "The first is that we were able to restore a historical building that was important to the San Francisco economy at the turn of the 20th century into a new structure that contributes to the economy in the new century. The second is that AMB's employees will benefit from improved communication due to the open architecture layout of the space."

AMB's office features expansive windows and a wide-open floor plan. Nobody—-not even Moghadam-—will have an office with a door. The cubicle partitions will be low to foster unencumbered views. To provide staff with some privacy, AMB incorporated about 20 conference rooms into its design, as well as a large group gathering place that will serve as a video-conferencing center, cafe, library and casual meeting room.

The major renovation of the pier that once served as a sugar dock and dry-goods warehouse for C&H Sugar is the first major project completed under the Port of San Francisco's 1997 Waterfront Land Use Plan. The new office property features the latest technology, as well as a great location and breathtaking views of both the Bay and the City. The architect for the Pier 1 project was San Francisco-based SMWM (Simon Martin-Vegue Winkelstein Moris), which also lists the Ferry Building renovation project, the San Francisco library and the Metreon among its projects.