“Place is more than just a geographic location. Place is about people. As developers, we hold the responsibility of designing and programming spaces that don’t just house people, but elevate people, foster community and are positioned for change.”
As a full-service lifestyle real estate development, investment and management company, A SPACE goes beyond the built environment to consider the human experience within a space. Whether it’s a rehabilitated historic pier reborn as sleek world-class restaurants and office space or a long-forgotten cider mill revived into a bustling gourmet market, A SPACE is dedicated to creating vibrant, experiential spaces that not only create value to investors but also resonate with the people who inhabit them.
With nearly 20 years of experience in real estate development, investment management, historic rehabilitation, and public/private sector partnerships, A SPACE specializes in acquisitions, entitlements, project management, asset repositioning, leasing and marketing, and disposition. As Founder and Principal, Alicia Esterkamp Allbin has proven success in balancing all of these components to evaluate the highest and best uses of a property, finding the harmony that distinguishes a thoughtfully considered, soulful place beyond architecture alone.
“A well designed space has the potential to transform minds and build communities.”
Alicia Esterkamp Allbin/Founder & Principal
Alicia’s professional philosophy stems from her career navigating the intricacies of historic preservation in the most iconic parts of San Francisco. Over the course of her tenure as a Principal and Partner at Pacific Waterfront Partners—a local development firm specializing in real estate investment, entitlements and development of San Francisco’s waterfront—Alicia oversaw the transformation of some of the city’s most derelict districts into desirable destinations and urban assets. With her broad range of skills and profound knowledge of entitlements, leasing strategies, marketing, pubic and private interests, and asset repositioning, she specializes in identifying solutions for regulatory hurdles and investor interests, unique design solutions and transformational repositioning opportunities often overlooked in the industry. Her ability to shepherd investors and partners to establish common goals has been vital to the success of her projects.
Alicia’s commitment to lifestyle development and the crafting of space goes beyond her profession. As a thought leader in local industry and artisanal vocation, she serves on the Board of Directors for SF Made, PlaceMade, San Francisco Heritage, and The Greenbelt Alliance. Named one of Business Time’s ‘Forever Influential Women of the Bay Area’, Alicia also serves on the ULI Residential council and is a member of Lambda Alpha International, SPUR, the Housing Action Coalition, the Bay Area Council, the SF Chamber of Commerce, ULI and BOMA.
Alicia holds an MBA from the University of San Francisco and a B.A. from American University in Washington D.C.