Mission Rock and Santana Row Attract Commercial Tenants with Mixed-Use Appeal

In the face of challenges in attracting commercial and retail tenants to downtown areas, San Francisco's Mission Rock and San Jose's Santana Row are emerging as successful mixed-use developments drawing tenants seeking safer, amenity-rich environments.

Developed by Tishman Speyer and the San Francisco Giants, Mission Rock in San Francisco, and Federal Realty's Santana Row in San Jose, have emphasized curated retail offerings, private security, and programmed open spaces to enhance their appeal. These elements contribute to a vibrant ecosystem where retail, residential, and office spaces support each other.

"We've spent really an outsized amount of time on those elements that the public can engage with," said Maggie Kadin, managing director at Tishman Speyer. To attract desirable retailers, developers have employed creative deal structures and significant investments in build-outs, securing tenants like Arsicault, Flour and Water, Que Fico, Blue Bottle, Lux Fit, and Ike’s Sandwiches.

At Santana Row, a similar approach has been adopted. Federal Realty's COO, Jeff Kreshek, noted, "The retail feeds the residential, that feeds the office, that feeds the retail and it becomes this ecosystem that everything benefits from the other uses." This strategy has attracted major tenants like PwC, which leased three full floors with private balconies at One Santana West, a 375,000-square-foot building.

These developments demonstrate how integrated, mixed-use environments can successfully attract commercial tenants by offering a cohesive and engaging community experience.

Sources:

• Landes, Emily. “Mission Rock, Santana Row Draw Commercial Tenants.” The Real Deal, May 15, 2025. Link