Cushman's One-Year Anniversary

Cushman moved into its new digs at 425 Market just about one year ago, and we cruised by last week to get a progress report on the innovative office that's set a new caliber for Cushman space. The company was in a traditional law firm-type setting at One Maritime Plaza and instead of remodeling there, the firm decided to move to a new location to consolidate 130 employees onto one floor. The goal was to build something different from a brokerage perspective to reflect where the future of space utilization is going, managing broker Mark McGranahan tells us.

Law firms are also now going the progressive route. Cushman did a deal for Hanson Bridgett a few floors up, which opted for one-size offices as opposed to smaller associate and bigger partner ones. More firms are trending in that direction, he says, with no need for massive offices or libraries anymore. That typically means their spaces will shrink, sometimes by 10% to 50%. That may save money on rent down the line, but it still takes a lot of capital to move from building A to B. He expects some big local law firm announcements in the next three to four months. Above, Cushman's scenic seating area conjures images of an airport lounge. 

Other highlights: smaller offices, a benching system, and attempts to create neighborhoods in spaces. (We like the frosted names Presidio and Golden Gate stamped on its glass conference walls.) One side of its office appropriately has front-row views of the rising Salesforce Tower (Cushman reps Salesforce). Mark just got a call from Cushman's Orange County office; their lease is up and the SoCal team wants to use the S.F. office as a model. Not all things will be the same; Cushman's got a conference room that shows an 1850s US Coast Survey of the Bay Area (that rectangular shadow shows where Cushman's office sits).