Companies Consider Next-Gen Space in Leasing

SAN RAMON, CA—City Center Bishop Ranch is slated to open in the fall, bringing a unique urban amenity to the Bishop Ranch campus with an assortment of dining, retail and entertainment experiences. And, the office leasing effort is benefiting from that bold new development with seven office leases recently inked totaling 81,700 square feet.

The newest Bishop Ranch tenants are Insight Global (18,000 square feet), GCL New Energy Inc. (16,000 square feet), Mott MacDonald (13,000 square feet), Dodge & Cox (11,200 square feet), Bayside Solutions (10,500 square feet), Canary Marketing (6,500 square feet) and Omron Adept Technologies (6,500 square feet).

In this exclusive, Joshua Hitchcock, senior vice president, director of leasing, Sunset Development Company, recently discussed the leasing progress at Bishop Ranch and shared some insights on the 680 corridor.

GlobeSt.com: How is the office leasing effort going at Bishop Ranch?

Hitchcock: Leasing activity remains strong. In just the last few months, we’ve completed 200,000 square feet of new leasing throughout the Bishop Ranch campus. We have upwards of 250,000 square feet in leases and proposals out right now.

GlobeSt.com: What types of tenants are leasing space?

Hitchcock: We’ve seen recent activity by companies of all sizes and from a wide spectrum of industries. We are attracting tenants from all parts of the Bay Area including San Francisco and Silicon Valley in addition to relocations within the 680 corridor and the East Bay.

GlobeSt.com: Besides the range and flexibility of work space available, what else appeals to new and potential tenants at Bishop Ranch?

Hitchcock: We continue to grow our amenity base, adding an extra layer of desired services and convenience, which means access to great dining options, fitness facilities, childcare and medical providers, meeting and convention space and efficient, reliable transportation to easily get people to and around Bishop Ranch. The goal is to offer services that not only make daily life simpler for our tenants but also more enriching. Companies are looking for premium workplace environments that will enhance the lives of their employees and ultimately help with recruitment and retention of top talent.

GlobeSt.com: What are you seeing in terms of overall 680 corridor demand and why does it still hold interest for tenants?

Hitchcock: The 680 corridor continues to build on its legacy of being a central market and a workforce hub supported by one of the most well-educated and experienced labor pools in the Bay Area. Companies are also starting to think more about where the next generation of employees are going to live and work. As Millennials grow older and start families, they want to live in a place that supports and complements their active lifestyles. San Ramon and the East Bay are at the top of the list in terms of overall quality of life, top-ranked school districts, low crime rate and cost of living.

GlobeSt.com: What other office leasing trends are planned or underway at Bishop Ranch to enhance tenant leases and retention?

Hitchcock: The opening of City Center Bishop Ranch this fall will be a game-changer for Bishop Ranch and we believe for everyone who lives and works here. We are bringing an urban amenity to the suburbs and creating a unique and enduring retail, dining and entertainment destination that will become the downtown for San Ramon. Our goal is to continue to build on the live, work, play lifestyle. With the long-term development of apartments and a hotel across the street, we are creating a strong sense of place for both tenants and the surrounding community to enjoy.

When it opens, City Center will feature THE LOT, a 10-screen cinema experience and dining destination. Equinox San Ramon, a luxury fitness gym featuring world-class personal trainers, group fitness classes and spas, will anchor the project. City Center will have 75 fashion, lifestyle and dining options including Fieldwork Brewing Company, Roam Artisan Burgers, Boba Guys, Ramen Hiroshi, Alys Grace, M by Maggie Rizer, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and West Elm.

Bishop Ranch is home to 30,000 employees at 600-plus companies within more than 30 industries. Tenants include AT&T, Chevron, IBM, Rodan + Fields, PG&E, GE Digital, Robert Half, SAP, BlackBerry, Bank of the West, Toyota and Berkshire Hathaway. Bishop Ranch tenants occupy spaces from 150 square feet to more than 1 million square feet.

Bishop Ranch offers a range of on-site services, including transportation programs, professional seminars and networking opportunities, health and wellness activities, lakeside dining, coffee and wine bar, gourmet food trucks, cafes and a weekly farmers market. Roundhouse Market and Conference Center features 50,000 square feet of flexible meeting and conference room space, a fitness center, electric Duffy boat rides, and bocce and volleyball courts. Additionally, The Dorris-Eaton School provides kindergarten-to-eighth grade education and Bright Horizons offers childcare and early education.