How Silicon Valley Tech Users Are Changing Office Development

Silicon Valley tech is transforming how office is built, transitioning many developers away from traditional offices to open floor plans.

We spoke with SteelWave managing director and co-founder Edward Nazaradeh about his company’s latest developments and recent design trends.

Edward tells us the recent development in North San Jose from SteelWave, a design and construction company, will offer large floor plates, column-free floor plans, dynamic glass and a plethora of amenities.

“These are trends that users in tech are expecting and looking for,” Edward says.

The 452k SF project off Great America Parkway near Highway 237 is an extension of two existing buildings completed in 2007 leased to SV Flextronics and Polycom. Based on the success of these two buildings, Edward says SteelWave decided to add additional office buildings, a parking structure and a two-story building for a large café and fitness and outdoor amenities.

Edward, who has been working at SteelWave for over 30 years, says the development is following recent trends and demands from tenants and the current market cycle.

“It’s all market-driven. If the market demands it, we do it, but if it doesn’t, we ride the cycles,” Edward says. “The market is on our side and it does demand additional square footage in this area and we’re building more.”

The forthcoming spec buildings (rendering above), each 225k SF, will attract a wide range of tenants and include curtain wall systems using View Glass (Dynamic Glazing), which will allow users to control the interior environment by changing the tint on the glass.

“Our site has fantastic views of the bay, easy access to the freeway, and this is a cluster of tech users with opportunities for expansion,” Edward tells us.

Indoor/outdoor connectivity with outdoor living rooms and an open lobby will also be featured. The buildings are LEED Gold certified and have a full warm shell build-out.

Based on demands of tech users, Edward says the buildings will offer large floor plates of about 34k SF with column-free floor space. There will be WiFi and power connectivity site-wide, a central courtyard with outdoor seating and gaming areas, a central entertainment canopy for large events or small gatherings, a multi-purpose sports court, outdoor olive grove for events, site and garage EV charging stations, and an 800-spot parking structure.

The two-story amenity building (rendering above) will offer a 6,500 SF café for tenants, a 5,500 SF fitness center, secured bike storage and a rooftop amenity deck with seating and a putting green. The project is designed by Large Architecture based in Southern California.

Edward expects the development to be completed September 2017 and SteelWave is already actively marketing the building.

Edward says SteelWave typically looks for value-add opportunities. The company will acquire buildings where it can add value through improving common areas, connectivity to outdoors and amenities.

Edward says he hopes construction costs stabilize heading into next year.

“That is one area that seems to be growing quite a bit, and I hope it will stop,” Edward says. He adds a downturn will happen in the future, but “we don’t know when it will be. We can only guess.”

When Edward isn’t working, he says he enjoys spending time with his family and does Boy Scouts, camping and sports with his younger son. He spends a lot of time with his wife and often visits his college-aged children in Southern California.

Find out more about Silicon Valley construction and development during Bisnow’s upcoming event in San Jose on Dec. 7.