Awards Gala Celebrates TOBY Winners

BOMA members from both sides of the Bay gathered for the BOMA Bay Area Awards Gala on 2/20/20 to celebrate outstanding building teams and other honorees who give so much time and talent to BOMA San Francisco and BOMA Oakland/ East Bay.

Bay Area people live and work in an area of world-leading innovation. And the teams that serve our thriving commercial real estate market are also cutting-edge, pioneering practices that delight the most discerning tenants. Outstanding TOBY Teams “BOMA International’s TOBY is the most prestigious and comprehensive program of its kind in the commercial real estate industry, recognizing quality in office buildings and rewarding excellence in office building man- agement,” said BOMA SF President Christine Mann. “Entering your building for a TOBY award is a significant undertaking,” Mann added. “It forces the entire building team, including contracted service providers, to work closely and collaboratively to ensure that the building systems are operating at peak performance, that the amenity offerings meet and exceed market standards, and the property shows its absolute best. It’s also a great way to bring your team closer together and show value for your tenants and owners.”

Two San Francisco entries won TOBY awards: 333 Bush Street in the 500,000–1 million square feet category, managed by Tishman Speyer and owned by 333 Bush, L.L.C. and 455 Market Street in the 250,000–499,999 square feet category, managed by Cushman & Wakefield and owned by Legacy 455 Market Street LP. Behind each award are stories of how the winning teams pulled together to earn the award. Let’s hear about their game plans.

333 Bush, winner of a TOBY award.

333 Bush: Strength in Numbers

“The benefits of entering the TOBY competition are exponential in terms of team-building and camaraderie,” said Tishman Speyer General Manager Glenn Good. “Everybody on the team learns a little more about the building and gets to know about areas they aren’t always exposed to.” For the 333 Bush entry, six team members from the office of the building, security and engineering worked together to craft the submittal. Not only did this lighten the workload, but it enhanced the depth and detail of the entry, exemplifying the wisdom of strength in numbers.

Team from 333 Bush.

Built in 1986, the 42- story, Class A asset located in the financial district continues to evolve. For the award entry, the team emphasized the property’s sustainability. The mechanical systems’ new high-performance boilers contributed to the building earning a LEED Platinum rating. Other distinguishing features are a state-of-the-art fitness center called 333 FIT, a renovated lobby with marble walls and floors, and a parking structure adorned with a wall mural. Yet another innovation was the creative use of so-called ZO pop-up spaces, where vacant space was set up to be utilized by tenants for meetings, lunch and just hanging out. “We provide Wi-Fi, music, and snacks. The tenants love them,” Good says. “It’s a place to get away and hang out from the everyday office set-up.” In addition to the physical attributes of the building, TOBY judges were impressed by the property’s community involvement with events like a town hall meeting with Senator Kamala Harris. Other advice from Good: plan and stage the path for your building tour for the TOBY judges. Highlight your property’s strengths and avoid any weaknesses. And be sure to involve several team members who can lend their voices and expertise. Not only does this make the tour more interesting, but if someone on the team is absent for the tour, your property still shows to good advantage.

Good also recommends that prospective entrants participate in the TOBY pre-judging process in which judges walk through a property and share their knowledge.

Another tip: start early! 333 Bush competed in 2019 and went all the way to the International competition, losing out in the finals. This year, the team started on its entry right after last year’s results were announced.

Good adds that being a part of a TOBY-winning team can advance one’s career, which he discovered earlier in his career. Being on a team that won a TOBY in Chicago for its government buildings opened many doors for him.

Sustainable 455 Market Wins

Sustainability and its LEED Platinum status (received in December 2019 and pending during its TOBY application) were the focus of the 455 Market team’s successful TOBY award entry.

The building attained not only LEED Platinum but also Energy Star, BOMA 360 and Fitwel certifications. “We are a ‘well-tuned’ machine with everyone doing their jobs professionally,” said 455 Market Property Manager Kathy McKenna, Cushman & Wakefield. “Our chief engineer, Ed Perinoni, is especially diligent in pursuing our sustainability efforts.”

455 Market Street, winner of a TOBY award.

The TOBY awards submittal was a team effort, orchestrated by Property Administrator Brenda Ponce with strong contributions by Perinoni. “We all take pride in showing off our building – of staff and contractors—so included them in the process as well (parking garage attendants, janitors and waste sorters, security staff, engineering staff and building staff). Most of our contractors are long-term and have a history at 455 Market,” McKenna added.

Team from 455 Market accepts award.

The property’s TOBY team met regularly to go over tasks for the judging. Team members included McKenna, Ponce, Perinoni, two stationary engineers, a utility engineer, and Security Supervisor Mohamed Bachir.

The building tour included tenant suites; an overview from Perinoni of the equipment, security and life-safety areas; security features detailed by Bachir; landscaping and grounds; and refuse removal and loading dock areas. The team also involved its vendor, ABM Parking, in showing the building’s parking facilities that feature showers, lockers and bike room amenities.

The transit-friendly property’s location is ideal for commuters, within walking distance of the Salesforce Transit Center, the Ferry Terminal, and the San Francisco Bay Trail. Situated in the heart of downtown San Francisco, 455 Market is a Class A, two-tower high-rise office and retail complex. Built in 1987, the high-rise tower consists of 23 floors and the low-rise tower has eight floors.

BOMA Bay Area Winners Advance to Regional

In addition to the San Francisco TOBY winners, two properties in the East Bay won awards: 1111 Broadway in Oakland, managed by CBRE; and Pleasanton Corporate Commons, Pleasanton, managed by Hines.

The TOBY competition begins at the local BOMA level. All BOMA Bay Area winners will advance to the regional level. Regional winners then advance to the international level. The International TOBY Awards will be presented at the BOMA International Conference & Expo during the TOBY Awards Banquet in Philadelphia this June.