1960
John A. Sobrato graduates from Santa Clara University, marries Susan, founds Midtown Realty, and becomes the first person to be named to the Million Dollar Club ($1M in residential sales value) of the Palo Alto Real Estate Board.
1961
In partnership with his mother Ann Sobrato, develops their first build to suit for Lockheed Corporation, a 14,000 sf tilt up at 1260 Birchwood, Sunnyvale.
1962
Convinces his friend and preferred mortgage broker for his residential clients, Carl E. Berg, to join Midtown Realty.
1968
Sobrato, Berg, and Ann Sobrato form a partnership to develop tilt up buildings for the emerging electronic business in Santa Clara County before it became known as Silicon Valley. Sobrato & Berg continue operating Midtown Realty. |
1974
Sobrato-Berg completes first major campus development of 200,000 sf for Amdahl Corporation at 1250 E. Arques, Sunnyvale. Sobrato and Berg leave Midtown to concentrate full time on development business establishing headquarters in Cupertino.
1978
After 9 years together and 2.3 million square feet of development, Sobrato and Berg split to form separate development companies. Sobrato's firm renamed Sobrato Development Companies.
1979
Completes first mid-rise build to suit for a technology tenant by constructing a 4-story office building in Cupertino for Four Phase Systems (later acquired by Motorola). |
1983
John M. Sobrato joins firm following graduation from Santa Clara University.
1985
Firm surpasses 5,000,000 square feet of commercial real estate under ownership through build to suit mid-rise developments for ASK Computers in Mountain View, Apple Computer in Cupertino, Avantek, Advantest, Digital Equipment in Santa Clara and Verbatim in San Jose. |
1990
Company begins diversification strategy and develops first apartment project of 408 units named Willow Lake in North San Jose.
1995
Company sells interest in massive 871,000 sf build to suit headquarters for Apple Computer and further diversifies asset base through investment in marketable securities. Firm reaches $1 billion in assets
1997
Sobrato Family Foundation established. John M. Sobrato takes over day to day operations of firm. |
2001
Company acquires 3,200 units and further diversifies apartment portfolio by investing in other west coast markets from Seattle to San Diego.
2006
Firm reaches $5 billion in assets. Holdings include 7,700 apartments units in 31 projects and 8.7 million square feet in 93 commercial buildings.
2007
Firm donates its signature 18 story hi-rise building at 488 Almaden Blvd. to the Sobrato Family Foundation which sells the building to BEA Systems for $135 million increasing Foundation assets to over $225 million.
2008
Firm name changed to The Sobrato Organization to acknowledge the firm's mission has expanded beyond real estate development. |
