Addressing NorCal's Student Housing Shortage: Insights and Strategies

Learn What, Where, and How NorCal's Leading Executives are Overcoming Obstacles and Building the Region's Needed Student Housing

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  Jared Everett

  CEO

  Pinnacle Development

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  Kelly Snider

  I have deep experience in residential, retail, commercial, and mixed-use real estate development in urban places with an emphasis on transit adjacency. I shepherd projects and teams from property acquisition through grand opening. I advise private owners and corporations on planning, project design, transportation demand management and real property development - plus I advise public agencies and municipalities on growth strategies and partnering with private partners. I have decades of experience hiring and managing teams of all sizes and am fostering excellent relationships with local and regional government officials. Committed to adapting our built environment to enhance community health, diversity, and long-term economic sustainability. I'm an experienced board member and volunteer, with outstanding community relations skills and political acumen. My specialty is figuring out how to optimize a path toward the best possible sense of place and well-being in a community - and doing it on time and on budget.

  SJSU Urban & Regional Planning

  Director of Real Estate

  Kelly Snider

  Director of Real Estate

  SJSU Urban & Regional Planning

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  Hamid Ghaemmaghami

  My work experience, education and training of 25 years in public, private sectors of real estate industry has allowed me to utilize skills, education, ideas and experience acquired during my career with the service aspect that is the focus of the public sector ensuring exceptional results while providing the highest level of dedication, ethical conduct, economic returns, customer service, social justice and focus that is required in working with public agencies. In my professional career, I have worked on many high impact large development projects to improve and bring values to the communities and interacted positively with many governmental official, non-profit organizations, commercial tenants, private sector developers, financial institutions, consultants and professional in educational sectors. I have extensive real estate experience in public and private sectors in areas of right of way, Eminent Domain, development, asset management, marketing, commercial office and retail leases, ground leasing, permits, licenses, easements, CEQA process, redevelopment, feasibility analysis, land acquisition, airport property management, below market & affordable housing, solar leases, telecommunication leases, surplus disposition, non-profit leasing, economic development and site assembly of high impact projects. My experience in the public sector has been with two of the most diverse and economically challenged cities in the Bay Area, Cities of East Palo Alto and Oakland, one of the most affluent, the City of Palo Alto and finally with presently with San Francisco State University (SFSU). I also have extensive leadership experience and volunteerism working with community-based non- profit organizations and unions. I served on the board of Rebuilding Together Oakland and Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Pacific Renaissance Plaza and currently serve as a bord member of Rebound Institute. During my employment with City of Oakland, after being elected as the president of the Engineering Unit, an once underperforming unit has become one of the most dynamic and vocal units of IFPTE Local 21 Oakland.

  San Francisco State University

  Executive Director of Real Estate Development

  Hamid Ghaemmaghami

  Executive Director of Real Estate Development

  San Francisco State University

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  Rob Benson

  Rob Benson is a licensed architect who views the production, delivery, and utilization of working drawings as a matter of design in and of itself. His commitment to translating conceptual designs into functional reality via working drawings makes him a stellar Senior Director of Design Integration at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. His experience includes working with notable clients such as San Francisco State University, San Francisco International Airport, Stanford University, Lane Partners, Nvidia, and numerous other high-tech clients. Rob holds a Master of Architecture degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

  McCarthy Building Companies

  Senior Director, Design Integration

  Rob Benson

  Senior Director, Design Integration

  McCarthy Building Companies

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  Mark Donahue

  As Design Director, Mark brings over 35 years of experience in architecture, leading the charge on a broad spectrum of project typologies ranging from small multifamily residential projects to large scale, complex mixed-use development. Mark is known for his collaborative approach, reflecting a belief in a truly integrated process from project onset to delivery. Notably, Mark was the Design Director for The Jasper – a 39-story high rise; Truckee Artist Lofts – a 77-unit modular, affordable housing project; and Electric Lofts – a micro-unit, co-living, urban-infill apartment building in Oakland. With an attention to detail and focus on materiality, Mark continues to lead successful design projects tuned to the local conditions and incorporating innovative approaches to project delivery. As a college lecturer teaching design and MEP integration, he has passed these successful strategies on to the next generation of architects.

  Lowney Architecture

  Design Director

  Mark Donahue

  Design Director

  Lowney Architecture

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  Jeff Bacurin

  Mr. Bacurin has over 20 years of professional experience in architectural design and programming including experience in renovation and new design of Student Housing, Senior Living communities and Higher Education Campuses. He is skilled in working with the in-house team and clients to confirm and interpret the users’ programmatic needs and explore sustainable design alternatives using 3D modeling software. Jeff is a skilled communicator of design intent and works with the users to explore design alternatives in interactive design charrettes/workshops.

  HPI Architecture

  Design Director

  Jeff Bacurin

  Design Director

  HPI Architecture

• Moderator

  Daniel Gregg

  Senior Representative

  Nor Cal Carpenters Union

Building for Tomorrow: Creating Sustainable and Vibrant Student Housing Communities

Discussing the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Significance while Undertaking Necessary On and Off-Campus Upgrades and Redevelopments for Tomorrow's Students

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  David Lenox

  David Lenox has been the Stanford University Architect since 2005 and has been focused on establishing a framework for continued physical growth of the campus to support the mission and vision of the University. In his tenure he has championed the plan to restore the original Olmsted Campus Framework Plan and has guided each the schools to plan for the future. His design leadership and influence on projects includes transformative projects such as the GSB Knight Management Center, the Bing Concert Hall, the Anderson Collection, the Denning House, and Windhover Contemplative Center. Notable projects for the School of Medicine include the Li Ka Shing Center, Lokey Stem Cell, Biomedical Innovations, and Center for Academic Medicine. In addition to the Science & Engineering Quad, he has guided the design of the Bass Biology Building, the Sapp Center, and the CheM-H Neurosciences complex. David was also intimately involved with the Stanford Redwood City Campus planning and design. Sustainable projects including the O’Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm, the Central Energy Facility, and the Automotive Innovation Center also showcase Stanford’s commitment to sustainable facilities. Currently Dave is collaborating on the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Commons and the Town Center projects. David received his Bachelor of Environmental Design from Miami University and his Master in Architecture from the Ohio State University. Prior to coming to Stanford, his work focused on architectural design in the corporate and transportation sectors. He has recently served as the President on the Board of the Association of University Architects and has served on design juries for AIA San Francisco, California Preservation Foundation, AIA National Interior Design Awards, and the Society for College and University Planning. David also participates as a design critic for the Stanford Architectural Design Program and has served as a faculty leader with the Stanford Travel Program. David gets most invigorated when he is collaborating with a School or Department to transform its facilities and energize its culture. While new buildings should always be infused with the Stanford ‘Architectural DNA’….they should continue to look to the future, stir emotion, and inspire.

  Stanford University

  University Architect / Director of Campus Planning

  David Lenox

  University Architect / Director of Campus Planning

  Stanford University

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  Mark Rutheiser

  Mark is the Executive Director of Real Estate Services at UC Davis He is a licensed Landscape Architect and Real Estate Broker, and joined the Real Estate Services team in 2012. He has more than 30 years of experience in design, planning and construction of both public and private real estate projects, as well as financing, leasing and property management of many facilities in the Sacramento Valley. Mark leads a team of Real Estate professionals who manage a variety of the University’s real estate assets and provide a wide range of real estate services including acquisitions and dispositions, leases, licenses, easements, public-private partnership development and property management. In the last five years, Mark led the effort to develop two significant student housing projects on the UC Davis campus. Combined, these projects delivered over 4,800 beds in nearly 1,900 apartments for a total development cost of $900M.

  UC, Davis

  Executive Director, Real Estate Services

  Mark Rutheiser

  Executive Director, Real Estate Services

  UC, Davis

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  Austin Springer

  As an associate principal and senior project manager with Studio KDA, Austin excels as a master collaborator - lending design oversight, budgeting / schedule control, consultant coordination and continuity of service from project inception through construction completion. Using his business acumen and design skills, Austin works closely with clients to realize the potential of their project sites or add value to existing assets. As an expert on student housing and code analysis, Austin often presents on topics related to new State and regional laws and their impact on the housing development landscape. As a project leader, he not only maximizes project potential but also creates appealing, efficient buildings that are welcome additions to their communities. A licensed Architect and AIA member, Austin got his start with a BA in City Planning/Urban Design from UC Berkeley. While there he also completed a Minor in History of the Built Environment, setting up his life-long passion for the history of places as expressed in Landscape, Architectural, and Urban Design.

  Studio KDA

  Associate Principal & Sr Project Manager

  Austin Springer

  Associate Principal & Sr Project Manager

  Studio KDA

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  Jeff Brink

  Jeff Brink has over 20 years of structural design experience with significant developments up and down the west coast, ranging from Performance Based Design high-rises to mixed-use projects at Candlestick Point, the SF Shipyard, and Yerba Buena Island. Current projects include the City of San Francisco’s new office tower at 1500 Mission Street and the Virgin Hotel adjacent to the Moscone Center. Jeff’s technical expertise at integrating innovative structural systems, combined with his broad understanding of the construction industry, allows architecturally decisive projects to be achieved while still maintaining the project budget.

  DCI Engineers

  Principal and CEO

  Jeff Brink

  Principal and CEO

  DCI Engineers

• Moderator

  Karri Novak

  VP

  Suffolk Construction

Fireside Chat with UC Berkeley

A Discussion on Building Berkeley's Affordable Student Housing and Utilizing P3s to Address the Shortage

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  Wendy Hillis

  Wendy has served as Assistant Vice Chancellor at Campus Architect at UC Berkeley since 2019. In this role, she provides strategic and long-range planning for the programming, design, and development of campus properties, including buildings, infrastructure, and landscape projects. This includes oversight of $3 billion dollars of active design and construction projects. Under her leadership, and through the work of Sasaki/Page, the 2021 UC Berkeley Campus Master Plan, received a 2022 SCUP Merit Award for campus planning. A California native, Wendy was the Campus Architect at Tulane University from 2016-2019. She completed her undergraduate education at UCLA, holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia. She was the 2007 recipient of the AIA’s Richard Morris Hunt Prize.

  UC, Berkeley

  Assistant Vice Chancellor and Campus Architect

  Wendy Hillis

  Assistant Vice Chancellor and Campus Architect

  UC, Berkeley

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  Gayle Tsern Strang

  Gayle Tsern Strang is an Associate Principal Architect, Project Manager, and a Higher Education Practice Leader at SOM. Gayle is passionate about shaping the built environment for vibrant learning-living environments and working closely with educational and cultural institutions to realize strategies for sustainability and equity. With more than 30 years of experience in the field, she believes that great projects emerge from the dynamic advancement of an institution’s ideas and needs into beautifully conceived and executed built form. Gayle's leadership in projects and the practice is built on values of collaboration, clarity and fostering innovation. Her experience in large-scale multifamily residential and educational projects comes together in the work of student housing. Gayle’s portfolio includes an array of distinct projects with a strong focus in the educational space as well as civic, cultural, and residential projects.

  SOM

  Associate Principal

  Moderator

  Gayle Tsern Strang

  Associate Principal

  SOM