Flower Mart's Uncertain Future in SoMa

Future offices could uproot the longtime Flower Mart site. (We'll all need a new last-minute SoMa flower shop when we forget certain special days.)

We're hearing from sources that SKS is getting ready to entitle the site at 640 Brannan as a 500k SF office development. The famous Flower Mart has been planted there for about 57 years, and Martha Stewart Living has gone as far as saying it's the best flower market in the US (now that's some serious stem street cred). The marketplace for floral wholesalers sells colorful vegetation from both the immediate Bay Area and the far reaches of the world.

SKS' Paul Stein, above at our State of the Market event, didn't respond to a request for comment so we checked in with California Flower Market GM Robert Otsuka about potential offices growing on the site. Robert says he's aware there's activity going on in central SoMa with the possible rezoning of the area. While he's familiar with the names and players, he doesn't know whether any deals have been cut yet. He's keeping an eye on things and stresses that the mart--which covers about two-thirds of the lot--is operational and open for business. As to where the mart will go if it's pruned off the site, that thought is stepping way beyond what is currently going on, he tells us.

One thing's for sure: SKS already has a blooming presence on Brannan. Above, 475 Brannan, originally constructed in 1907, got an extensive renovation and is now a 245k SF office and life science building. In 2012, SKS and its partners inked a large lease with AirBnB for 888 Brannan. Last week we wrote about 270 Brannan, SKS' future 189k SF building that's drumming up serious interest from some tech tenants around town.