Shorenstein Properties
Shorenstein Properties is a San Francisco-based real estate investment company focused primarily on office properties and closed-end real estate funds in the United States.
Last updated August 22, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Shorenstein Properties is a privately held American real estate investment company headquartered in San Francisco. Its business centers on acquiring, owning, managing, and disposing of office properties in the United States, alongside sponsoring closed-end real estate investment funds. The company has been associated with interests totaling approximately 23 million square feet of office space across the country, making it a substantial owner and operator in the U.S. office-property market. The business traces its history to 1946, when Walter Shorenstein joined Milton Meyer & Company after leaving military service. The organization was later renamed Shorenstein Company and developed under Walter Shorenstein’s leadership. During the early 1990s, Walter moved away from the company’s daily management. His son, Douglas W. Shorenstein, subsequently became chief executive officer in 1995 and led the business through a period in which institutional real estate investment and fund sponsorship were important parts of its operating model. Shorenstein Properties has sponsored twelve closed-end real estate funds. These funds collectively received reported equity commitments of $8.8 billion, including $723.5 million contributed by the company itself. The fund platform has allowed Shorenstein to combine its property-investment expertise with capital from outside investors, while maintaining a focus on commercial real estate assets. Because the company is not publicly listed, information about its broader portfolio, current valuation, and operating performance is more limited than for a public real estate investment trust. One of the company’s best-known properties is 1355 Market Street in San Francisco, a major office building that served as Twitter’s principal headquarters. The property attracted public attention when reports indicated that Twitter was behind on rent payments. The episode illustrated Shorenstein’s role as a commercial landlord to prominent technology and media companies, while also reflecting the broader stresses affecting office real estate and corporate leasing. Shorenstein has also participated in major single-asset transactions. It acquired Chicago’s Aon Center in 2014 and sold the building in December 2023 to a consortium of investors that included Carolwood. The transaction demonstrated the company’s involvement in large-scale office assets beyond its San Francisco base. Leadership of the family-associated business changed across three generations. Walter Shorenstein died in 2010. Douglas Shorenstein died from cancer in 2015 at the age of 60. In 2020, Douglas’s son, Brandon Shorenstein, was named chairman and chief executive officer. The company’s current identity therefore combines a long-running family business heritage with institutional real estate ownership and fund-management activities. Its positioning is that of a U.S. commercial real estate investment platform, rather than a consumer-facing property brand.
History
Shorenstein Properties originated in 1946, when Walter Shorenstein joined Milton Meyer & Company after being discharged from military service. The company was later renamed Shorenstein Company and became the foundation of a family-linked real estate business. Its activities developed around the ownership, investment, and management of commercial properties, particularly office buildings in the United States. Walter Shorenstein gradually reduced his involvement in the company’s daily operations during the early 1990s. His son, Douglas W. Shorenstein, became chief executive officer in 1995. Under this succession, the business continued its focus on commercial real estate while expanding its institutional investment structure. Shorenstein Properties sponsored twelve closed-end real estate funds, with reported aggregate equity commitments of $8.8 billion, of which $723.5 million came from the company. The funds gave the firm a mechanism for investing in office properties with capital from external investors as well as its own capital. The company’s portfolio has included office interests totaling approximately 23 million square feet throughout the United States. Its San Francisco presence is particularly visible through 1355 Market Street, a major office property that served as Twitter’s main office. The building became the subject of press coverage when Twitter was reported to be behind on rent, linking Shorenstein to the financial and operational difficulties surrounding a major technology tenant. Shorenstein also owned the Aon Center in Chicago, one of the company’s notable large-scale office assets. The firm purchased the property in 2014 and sold it in December 2023 to a group of investors including Carolwood. This acquisition and later disposition illustrate the company’s participation in the institutional office-property transaction market. Walter Shorenstein died in 2010 at the age of 95. Douglas W. Shorenstein died from cancer in 2015 at the age of 60. In 2020, the next generation of the family’s leadership became prominent when Brandon Shorenstein was named chairman and chief executive officer. The company’s history consequently reflects both continuity of family leadership and the use of institutional real estate funds to pursue large commercial property investments. Publicly available reference material provides limited detail on its complete current portfolio, geographic allocation, or financial performance, but identifies the company as an active San Francisco-based owner and investor in U.S. office real estate.
- 2023
Sale of Aon Center
[1]Shorenstein sold the Aon Center in December 2023 to an investor consortium that included Carolwood.
- 2020
Brandon Shorenstein became chairman and chief executive officer
[1]Brandon Shorenstein assumed the company’s chairman and chief executive positions, continuing the family’s leadership involvement.
- 2015
Death of Douglas W. Shorenstein
[1]Douglas W. Shorenstein died from cancer at the age of 60.
- 2014
Acquisition of Aon Center
[1]Shorenstein Properties purchased Chicago’s Aon Center, adding a major office tower to its portfolio.
- 1995
Douglas W. Shorenstein became chief executive officer
[1]Douglas W. Shorenstein succeeded to the chief executive role as the company continued its commercial real estate activities.
- 1990
Walter Shorenstein stepped back from daily operations
[1]Walter Shorenstein reduced his day-to-day role in the company during the early 1990s.
- 1946
Walter Shorenstein joined Milton Meyer & Company
[1]After leaving military service, Walter Shorenstein joined Milton Meyer & Company, the organization that later became associated with the Shorenstein real estate business.
Products and positioning
A privately held, institutionally oriented U.S. commercial real estate investment and asset-management company with a strong office-property focus and a multigenerational family-business heritage.
Commercial real estate
Office property investments
Shorenstein Properties invests in, owns, and manages office buildings and other commercial real estate assets in the United States. Its reported holdings have represented approximately 23 million square feet of office space. The portfolio model includes acquiring significant properties, operating them as income-producing assets, and selling individual buildings or interests when appropriate.
Investment funds
Closed-end real estate funds
The company has sponsored twelve closed-end real estate funds. These vehicles combine Shorenstein’s own capital with commitments from outside investors and are used to pursue commercial real estate investments. Reported aggregate equity commitments across the funds total $8.8 billion, including $723.5 million committed by the company.
Office property
1355 Market Street
1355 Market Street is a major San Francisco office property associated with Shorenstein Properties. It served as the main office of Twitter and became publicly notable when reports discussed the company’s rent arrears. The property illustrates Shorenstein’s role as a landlord to large technology-sector tenants.
Office property · 2014
Aon Center
Aon Center is a large office tower in Chicago acquired by Shorenstein Properties in 2014. The company later sold the building in December 2023 to a consortium of investors including Carolwood. Its ownership was one of the firm’s prominent investments outside its San Francisco home market.
Brand decisions
2023
Sell Aon CenterM&ABackground
After owning the Chicago office tower for several years, Shorenstein pursued a disposition of the asset.
Action taken
The company sold Aon Center in December 2023 to a consortium of investors that included Carolwood.
Aftermath
The transaction transferred ownership of one of Shorenstein’s most prominent office properties to the investor consortium. No transaction value is provided in the reference material.
2014
Acquire Aon CenterM&ABackground
Shorenstein expanded its office-property portfolio through the purchase of Chicago’s Aon Center.
Action taken
The company acquired the building and held it as a major commercial office investment.
Aftermath
Shorenstein later sold the property in December 2023 to a consortium including Carolwood.
Recent events
Shorenstein acquires Phase I of America Center[2]
Reported:
Shorenstein Properties announced the acquisition of Phase I of America Center in North San Jose, comprising two office buildings and a development parcel. The transaction terms were not disclosed.
Shorenstein acquires 2601 Elliott[3]
Reported:
Shorenstein Properties announced that it had acquired 2601 Elliott, a six-story, 345,000-square-foot Class A office building in Seattle. The transaction terms were not disclosed.
Shorenstein announces acquisition of Monroe Business Center[4]
Reported:
Shorenstein Properties announced its acquisition of Monroe Business Center, a portfolio of seven office buildings in Northern Virginia. The transaction terms were not disclosed.
Nichols Partnership and Shorenstein develop One Platte through joint venture[5]
Reported:
Nichols Partnership and Shorenstein Properties are developing the One Platte office project in Denver through a joint venture; the project broke ground on February 10, 2020, according to the article.
JLL arranges $350 million loan for 1407 Broadway[6]
Reported:
JLL Capital Markets arranged a five-year $350 million loan from Barclays for Shorenstein Properties' leasehold position in 1407 Broadway in New York City.
Shorenstein Properties acquires 6800 Solectron[7]
Reported:
Shorenstein Properties announced that it had acquired the 450,000-square-foot commercial office property at 6800 Solectron Drive in Charlotte from Westcore Properties. The transaction terms were not disclosed.
Sources7 sources
- 1Shorenstein Propertiesen.wikipedia.org
- 2Shorenstein收购America Center一期prnewswire.com
- 3Shorenstein 收购 2601 Elliottprnewswire.com
- 4Shorenstein宣布收购Monroe Business Centerprnewswire.com
- 5Nichols Partnership与Shorenstein通过合资开发One Plattebusinessden.com
- 6JLL为1407 Broadway安排3.5亿美元贷款prnewswire.com
- 7Shorenstein Properties 收购 6800 Solectronprnewswire.com
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/shorenstein-properties · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled