The SKYY Above

By Paul Thomas, Summer 2010

While most readers may think of One Beach Street as the address of Alliant’s San Francisco campus, three other businesses also call this location home. Except for the understated signs at the entrance, the fast-walking employees, and the awkward elevator rides, these companies often go unnoticed. However, our building hosts a liquor company, an architectural firm, and a marketing firm. Each business is unique and it might behoove us to get to know the neighbors.

Located on the third floor of the building and established in 1992, SKYY Spirits LLC is one of America’s premier liquor companies, though the European beverage distributor, Campari Group, has recently acquired it. The San Francisco office serves as the American headquarters and provides the corporation entry into the US spirits market. SKYY currently employs 62 people in San Francisco and that number is expected to increase in the upcoming years. The company was started by Maurice Kanbar, a prominent inventor known for his advances with surgical equipment and for the D-Fuzz-It comb for sweaters. A unique character, Kanbar has his own Wikipedia entry and received attention from the press in 1999 after evicting every tenant in his Pacific Heights apartment building so he could have the place to himself.

Next to SKYY Spirits on the top floor is SB Architects. The California Real Estate Journal ranked SB as one of the top architecture firms in California in 2008. The company also received a nomination for best architecture firm in San Francisco by SFGate.com. Founded in 1960, the firm specializes in designing multifamily, mixed, and hospitality style properties. Some of their more notable projects are the Ivy Hotel in San Diego and the Calistoga Ranch, a resort in Calistoga, California. SB Architects employs 85 people including 20 architects.

Finally, Questus, Alliant’s closest neighbor that abuts the atrium on the first floor, is an award-winning marketing firm despite the laid-back atmosphere and recreational ping-pong tables. Their clients’ include ESPN, The New York Times, American Express, Disney, Suzuki, and other prominent companies. Questus has received a number of accolades for their Suzuki advertisements. The firm also won an award for Best Transportation website at the 2009 Internet Advertising Competition Awards. Additionally, they won best consumer website at the Summit International Awards in 2008, and Best in Show for marketing effectiveness at the Davey Awards in 2008.

While it is easy to walk past their signs in the lobby of One Beach Street, I hope this article has provided some insight into our neighbors and their accomplishments.