Aziz Khatri

The transformation of the El Cerrito Plaza BART station from a sprawling sea of asphalt into a vibrant residential and commercial hub is more than just a local construction project; it is a blueprint for the future of the Bay Area. By converting roughly 6.5 acres of surface parking into 734 new homes and fresh retail space, BART is signaling a major pivot in how we value land. For a long time, suburban transit stations were defined by their parking lots, built for a world where everyone drove...

California’s commercial office market entered 2026 showing clearer signs of stabilization, though performance remains uneven across its major metros. While the national office vacancy rate declined 150 basis points year-over-year to 18.2% in January, California continues to reflect a more complex recovery shaped by technology exposure, asset quality, and shifting tenant preferences. Northern California remains the most challenged region, despite measurable improvement. San Francisco recorded...

Photo from Google Maps Arguably the most recognizable building in the city’s skyline has entered yet another difficult chapter. The historic tower, along with the Financial Center building at 405 14th Street and 1500 Broadway, is now under court-appointed receivership after ownership defaulted on a $111 million loan. The lender, Rialto Capital Management, moved to foreclose after Highbridge Equity Partners stopped making payments in 2025, and in September a judge appointed Christian Diggs of...