Venn Development (Venn) is a highly skilled development partner with extensive experience delivering successful urban projects centered on sustainability, thoughtful design and the values that make a good neighbor. Specializing in mixed-use residential investment and development in the San Francisco Bay Area, Venn creates and enhances the built environment through innovative design, conscious programming and optimal building efficiencies.
Venn has a proven track record executing innovative new development projects in the Bay Area. Working across residential product types, we have successfully entitled and delivered projects in San Francisco and led residential planning across several large-scale master-planned communities in Silicon Valley. Venn prioritizes above average risk-adjusted returns for investors through well-timed site selection, disciplined analysis and superior execution.
Design-driven, art-focused, sustainable urban infill development.
Leadership
Craig Hamburg
Principal
Craig brings over 20 years of real estate development, investment and construction experience. He specializes in design-driven residential mixed-use properties with a focus on sustainability and active ground planes. He has skillfully led projects through acquisition, design, entitlements, construction, marketing, sales and leasing in Northern California.
Prior to starting Venn, Craig was a Sr. Vice President & Development Director at Lendlease, Vice President at DDG and Project Manager at Intracorp.
Craig is an active Urban Land Institute (ULI) member currently sitting on the San Francisco Residential Local Product Council and NEXT Steering Committee. ULI previously acknowledged Craig’s exceptional leadership by selecting him as a 40 Under 40 Global Young Leader. As a former president and longtime board member of the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association, Craig has demonstrated his dedication to the neighborhood not only through his individual projects, but also through their contributions to the greater community and urban environment. He continues to invest his time as a current HOA board member, supporting the ongoing maintenance and care of his buildings for the benefit of all who invest and reside in them.
Craig holds a Bachelor of Science in Management with a Finance major from Tulane University.
Design-Driven
Rather than deliver the bare minimum design required to achieve an entitlement, thoughtfully designed real estate projects are an opportunity to contribute to the broader community and create value. Venn is uniquely experienced in balancing innovative architecture, cost-effectiveness, and execution to deliver high quality buildings that don’t compromise on design.
Good design does not necessarily cost more or add complications to the construction process. However, good design can provide higher revenue and absorption compared with surrounding projects. Done well, thoughtful design provides a unique value proposition while helping to protect project level returns and mitigate market risks.
Art-Focused
Art can play a powerful role in real estate development, both in differentiating a project as well as supporting the Bay Area’s vibrant art scene. The built environment provides opportunities to partner with and support the local arts community while representing and contributing to the broader community. Venn works with a unique blend of local artists, designers, makers, and craftspeople to create places people want to live and spend time in.
Past art-focused collaborations include partnering with local designers and fabricators to build custom lobby partitions; commissioning international street artists to paint construction barricades; and sponsoring an arts and design pop-up to serve as a “community living room,” art space, and greenhouse.
Sustainable
The built environment is responsible for ~40% of the world’s carbon emissions. Sustainable real estate development can play a pivotal role in helping to mitigate climate change by consciously reducing carbon emissions. Venn is focused on creating positive sustainability outcomes alongside economic outcomes to create a sustainable future for all.
As an early believer in the sustainability movement, Craig helped deliver San Francisco’s first LEED certified residential high-rise in 2009. Subsequent projects included sustainable building features such as operable sunshades, bio-retention systems, green roofs, solar thermal water heating systems, car share programs, zero car parking projects, bicycle parking, sustainable materials, low / no VOC coatings, and energy efficient building systems.