East Bay developer Colin Behring likes to say that the East Bay is where San Francisco’s workforce actually lives.
His firm, the Behring Cos., has quietly bought up about two blocks of real estate in Oakland, California, in recent years, becoming one of a handful of investors who see the last few years of empty offices and negative headlines about crime and declining foot traffic that have plagued the city since the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity.
In addition to a 1970s-era office building he scooped up for pennies on the dollar, his firm built 1900 Broadway, a 39-story luxury apartment tower that incorporates office and coworking spaces and about 47,000 square feet of high-end amenities. The development won a 2025 CoStar Impact Award from independent experts with knowledge of the market.
Together, Behring is marketing the two properties, old and new, as an “urban campus” offering “extreme mixed-use” real estate that is experimenting with marketing space for a variety of uses besides residential. Freelancers can rent coworking space there and access the rest of the campus’ amenities, such as a 6,000-square-foot gym and a penthouse lounge with state-of-the-art wiring and inspiring views. The building also has two floors of spec office space, totaling 53,000 square feet, that can be leased.
By having the former Kaiser building plugged directly into the new complex, Behring said, the location offers a distinct option for employers of all sizes. Meanwhile, workers can save time and money with virtually no commute.
About the project: 1900 Broadway is a 452-unit mixed-use tower that features amenities including a fleet of on-demand Teslas dispensed from an underground vending machine. The project is located steps from public transit — around a 15-minute ride to downtown San Francisco or the University of California at Berkeley campus — as well as the historic Paramount and Fox theaters and restaurants and shops around Lake Merritt.
What the judges said: Rachel Kram of CP Partners said 1900 Broadway “strengthens Oakland’s urban core by delivering much-needed housing, fostering transit-oriented living, and revitalizing the Uptown district with a modern, sustainable mixed-use design.”
They made it happen: Eric Jeschelnik of SCB Architects oversaw the building’s design, while Elizabeth Premazzi of the Behring Cos. led the interior design and architecture process. Real estate management firm Bozzuto manages leasing and other services.
