Law Firm Signs 10-Year, $45-Mil Lease Deal

SAN FRANCISCO-The law firm of Farella, Braun & Martell has renewed and expanded its presence in Downtown’s historic Russ Building to 112,000-sf in a 10-year lease deal estimated to be worth nearly $45 million dollars.

The 31-story, 500,000-sf building is located at 235 Montgomery Street, in the North Financial District. It was built in 1927 and is owned by a partnership of Shorenstein Co. and Swig Co. The lease rate was not revealed, but sources familiar with the deal put the figure at $40 per sf, which would translate to $44.8 million over 10 years — not discounting for owner concessions, which were not released.

Farella, Braun & Martell has been a tenant in the historic Russ Building for more than 40 years, expanding its presence from an original 5,000 sf. The new lease represents an expansion of more than 30,000 sf from the law firm’s present 80,000 sf commitment.