What Browman's Up To
This morning, we sipped coffee al fresco (sorry East Coast) with Scott Bohrer, Browman Development's leasing manager, at Russian Hill's Nook (cable car not pictured). His Walnut Creek firm calls Target its biggest client and has 40 shopping centers; competitors include the big boys like Regency and Kimco. He says it's an interesting time for retail in S.F. because demand is high but space is limited. As a result, Browman is looking into denser, multi-level formats in areas along Van Ness and mid-Market, as well as denser areas of North San Jose and Santa Clara County.
His firm recently picked up a one-acre parcel in San Ramon and has plans to put in a pharmacy. Their focus is also refreshing aging shopping centers, like the 85k SF McClellan Square in Cupertino that's about to get a facelift. They re-tenanted a Lucky with a 99 Ranch Market, which is better suited for that picky Apple demographic HQ'd up the road. They also shrunk the CVS to 15k SF to gain 10k of junior inline space. He's on the prowl for a 4,400 SF tenant, preferably a restaurant. (If you want Tim Cook's autograph, that might be the spot to go.)
