Video Recap of Bisnow's San Francisco SoMa: The New Downtown

Jane Kim has attended lots of groundbreakings lately—including one a few weeks ago for a little project called Transbay Tower. She's the Transbay Joint Powers Authority chair and District 6 supervisor. Citing the incredible response to her first piece of legislation—attracting companies to the mid-Market corridor—she says the challenge now is integrating existing residents with their new neighbors. She challenged the community to be "unified in making sure that high-speed rail happens." Video.

Our moderator, Allen Matkins partner Anton Natsis, kicked off the panel discussion by dealing with the "elephant in the room"—the Transbay Tower—and whether the panelists would build it. Other topics: Will we see investment activity in 2013 and '14, when will the frenzy in SoMa end, what will be the next hot market, and how about that lizard lease clause he executed for a client's pet reptile?

Noting that the Transbay Tower "has been my life" for the recent time being, Hines director Charles Kuntz says the three-year project includes a year in the hole, driven by the need to line up the tower's basement with the bottom of the Transbay Transit Center. "We're putting 40-plus 8-foot-diameter caissons down about 250 feet to bedrock, and that takes a long time." The company has two years to deliver once it's completed the garage and is talking to tenants about partial occupancy, where it can open up the bottom half of the building while completing the top. Video.

As you know by now, Kilroy Realty is under construction on 350 Mission: San Fran's first ground-up, LEED Platinum high-rise. SVP Mike Sanford says the company started buying core properties like 100 First St, then got into value-add with acquisitions like 303 Second and 201 Third as rents started up. Now that SoMa's matured and replacement costs have increased, Kilroy is focused on development. Initially, Mike also oversaw Kilroy's Seattle market, where Microsoft and Amazon were in high-rises, and wondered why we don't see more of that in San Francisco. Then Salesforce leased 100% of 350 Mission, demonstrating it's possible. SoMa still has some room to go, but "It's tough on the acquisition side." Video.