More than 400 commercial real estate leaders from across Northern California convened at the Hyatt Embarcadero in San Francisco for the NAIOP NorCal Symposium 2026, a first-of-its-kind regional gathering that brought together the San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Sacramento Valley chapters. Attendees repeatedly described the event as a true “who’s who of commercial real estate,” reflecting the depth and influence of professionals in the room and the collaborative spirit across markets.
The morning kicked off with exclusive, behind-the-scenes property tours that set the stage for the day’s market conversations. A limited number of registered attendees had the opportunity to explore Verde at Mission Rock, a best-in-class waterfront residential community delivering panoramic city and bay views within the LEED Gold–certified Mission Rock neighborhood, as well as the recently reimagined Transamerica Building, where thoughtful renovations are redefining tenant experience at one of San Francisco’s most iconic office assets. Both tours highlighted projects achieving some of the highest residential and office rents in the city today, offering attendees a firsthand look at the design, performance, and demand drivers shaping today’s commercial real estate market.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie opened the program with a keynote address followed by an audience Q&A, offering an optimistic outlook for the city and region. “We want a broad-based economic recovery and it’s starting to happen,” Mayor Lurie shared, noting that “crime in SF is down by 30%,” and highlighting that “the latest poll shows 69% of San Franciscans think we are headed in the right direction.”
Two dynamic panel discussions followed, featuring industry leaders from across the region:
Navigating the Market: Regional Investment Insights brought together seasoned investment leaders for a candid discussion on how Northern California’s major markets are responding to shifting conditions and positioning for the next cycle. Moderated by Jeff Weber, Managing Director at Eastdil Secured, the panel featured Melinda Ellis Evers, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Ellis Partners; Derek "Deke" K. Hunter Jr., President of Hunter Properties, Inc.; and Kevin Ramos, Chief Investment Officer of Buzz Oates Group.
The panel shared how leading developers are identifying opportunity, managing risk, and positioning their portfolios for recovery. Panelists emphasized the importance of diversification across product types—including retail, office, self-storage, and multifamily—to maintain a steady development pipeline through market cycles and offsetting a market that leans toward the tech industry. The discussion also highlighted the value of regional focus paired with nimbleness, noting increased diversification post-COVID into areas such as senior housing, data centers, and residential entitlements, alongside a long-term commitment to core Bay Area markets. Speakers also underscored a strategic shift toward industrial real estate in markets such as Sacramento and the Central Valley, pointing to the importance of understanding replacement costs and remaining opportunistic with acquisitions as conditions evolve.
The Innovation Economy: Powering the Next Wave of Growth panel examined how emerging technologies—from artificial intelligence and advanced compute to data centers and digital infrastructure—are reshaping demand across commercial real estate. Moderated by Matt Field, Chief Real Estate Officer at Crusoe, the panel featured Ziyang David Fan, SVP of Technology & Innovation and Executive Director of the Institute for California AI Policy (ICAP) at Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG); and Raul Saavedra, Vice Chair and Head of Data Center Advisory, Americas at Colliers.
The panel explored the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, data centers, real estate, policy, and capital markets, framing today’s AI moment as a transformational shift impacting nearly every industry. Panelists traced the evolution from hardware and software through the dot-com era and social media to today’s AI-driven economy, noting that demand for data centers is being fueled by increasingly compute-intensive workloads, including large language models and robotics. Discussion highlighted the unprecedented scale and complexity of modern data center development—often requiring dedicated power generation, sophisticated capital structures, and navigation of a fragmented regulatory landscape—while underscoring that access to energy, favorable policy, and community alignment are now critical drivers of market selection. While investor interest remains exceptionally strong, panelists emphasized that data centers represent one of the riskiest real estate asset classes today, with success hinging on managing regulatory uncertainty, technological change, and infrastructure constraints amid a fast-moving innovation cycle.
The success of the NAIOP NorCal Symposium 2026 was made possible by an outstanding planning committee and generous sponsors. Special thanks to the San Francisco team—Jordan Angel, Adam Voelker, Courtney Trunnell, Josh Westerberg, Alison Trejo, and Chezka Solon; the Silicon Valley team—Mike Kramer, Eric Fox, Casey Holt, and Tracy Wingrove; and the Sacramento Valley team—Emily Ramey, Bryan McKrell, and Sarah O’Connor. We are also grateful to our Premier Sponsor, Colliers; Champion Sponsors Allen Matkins and City of Fairfield; and Supporter Sponsors Buzz Oates and Fullmer Construction. Together, their leadership and support helped create an unforgettable regional milestone for Northern California’s commercial real estate community.
