Since 1973, the name “Orchard” has been synonymous with outstanding industrial, office and R&D projects throughout Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area. Building upon the legacy of Orchard Properties established over 30 years ago, Michael J. Biggar and Tyler W. Higgins co-founded Orchard Partners to continue the investment and development activities of Orchard. Here is a timeline of Orchard’s history denoting significant milestones:
1973 Founded by David J. Brown, Orchard Properties quickly established an outstanding reputation for excellence and integrity in the Northern California commercial real estate market. The Company won numerous awards for its innovative office, R&D and industrial development projects and was San Jose’s “Developer of the Year” on four different occasions. Since inception, Orchard entities
have developed over 1500 acres and 8.5 million square feet of office, R&D, and warehouse product, valued at over $2.5 billion.
1994 Michael J. Biggar joined Orchard and, with David Brown, co-founded Orchard Investors, LLC to continue the development and investment activities of Orchard Properties. Orchard Investors proceeded to be active as an opportunistic investor and developer both in land and buildings throughout Silicon Valley.
Coinciding with Biggar’s arrival, Orchard Investors, LLC served AMB Property Corporation as its “strategic alliance” partner in the Silicon Valley. For more than 10 years, Biggar assisted Tyler W. Higgins of AMB with the underwriting and acquisition of more than 6.5 million square feet of R&D and industrial space throughout Silicon Valley.
2000 Brown sold Orchard Properties’ property management business to Joe Lewis, and this business was renamed Orchard Commercial, Inc. remains an active management and leasing firm independent of Orchard Partners.
2005 During 2005, Orchard Investors sold the majority of its remaining portfolio totaling approximately 1,000,000 square feet of office, R&D, and industrial product in three separate transactions.
In December 2005, Brown retired from Orchard Investors, LLC, leaving Biggar to run Orchard’s investment and development activities.
Since 1994, Orchard Investors, LLC, Orchard Properties and their affiliated companies completed the acquisition and/or development of seventeen projects in Silicon Valley, including over 1,750,000 square feet of buildings and 400 acres of vacant land, valued at over $450,000,000. Over the last 30 years, Orchard acquired and/or developed over 1,400 acres and 8.5 million square feet of industrial and commercial product, valued at $2.2 billion.
Throughout its history, Orchard has enjoyed excellent financial relationships with major institutions, including Wells Fargo Bank, Copley Real Estate Advisors, The New England Life Insurance Company, Pacific Coast Capital Partners, and AMB Property Corporation.
2006 Following a 16-year career at AMB Property Corporation, in May 2006 Tyler W. Higgins resigned his position as Managing Director to start his own investment and development company. While at AMB, he served in a variety of capacities, most recently as Managing Director of its West-Central region and on its Investment Committee. Prior to this position, Higgins directed the firm’s acquisitions program and investment strategy for North America. Since joining AMB in 1990, Higgins acquired or structured joint-ventures to develop over 45 million square feet of commercial space throughout the United States, totaling several billion dollars. During this period of time, he acquired AMB’s portfolio in the Bay Area and many of its projects located on the West Coast.
Over the summer, Higgins and Biggar discussed business philosophy, core values, and real estate investment strategies, while jointly pursuing several acquisition and development opportunities. In September 2006, they purchased their first property, an 87,380 square foot R&D building leased to Cisco Systems located in Milpitas, California (see 1545 Barber Lane).
2007
In reflecting upon the longstanding business relationship and trust between each other, Higgins and Biggar co-founded Orchard Partners, LLC in order to combine and leverage their own expertise and reputations under a common platform.
The formation of Orchard Partners joined the reputation and experience of two industry veterans, each of whom has more than 20 years of real estate experience.
In 2007, Orchard Partners acquired 10 industrial and R&D properties exceeding $200 million of total investment cost (details of these projects can be found in the Current Projects section).
Over the summer, Higgins and Biggar discussed business philosophy, core values, and real estate investment strategies, while jointly pursuing several acquisition and development opportunities. In September 2006, they purchased their first property, an 87,380 square foot R&D building leased to Cisco Systems located in Milpitas, California (see