Christine Firstenberg
Principal, Metrovation Retail Resources
Lafayette, CA 94549
Principal Broker for Metrovation Retail Services
Phone (925) 381-8666
Principal Broker for Metrovation Retail Services
Specialties
Investment Sales Broker, Tenant Rep
Property Types
Retail
Markets
San Francisco, North Bay/Santa Rosa, East Bay/Oakland, South Bay/San Jose
Languages
English
Bio
Ms. Firstenberg’s deep experience in Northern California's retail real estate and land development has led to successes throughout
her brokerage career, as well as her leadership roles in industry organizations. Having sold over 3.2 million square feet of
retail buildings; leased over 4.6 million square feet, and participated in the entitlement process for a multitude of shopping
centers, Ms. Firstenberg has a distinct knowledge base from which to pull from.
Christine’s has experience in pre-construction leasing, ground-up development master planning, merchandising planning
and retailer strategic expansion plans.
Ms. Firstenberg is currently President of Metrovation Retail Resources and a Principal with Retail Real Estate Resources, a
development consulting company .
Previously (March, 2015 to March, 2018) she was Senior Vice President at JLL where she was instrumental in the creation of the
retail brokerage practice in the Bay Area along with securing a long desired relationship with a major mall development company.
Prior to that, (2002 to 2015) she was Partner/Managing Director and co-founder of Metrovation Brokerage, (which she
founded with ICSC retail legend Merritt Sher in 2002), focusing on the development of strategic expansion plans for
retail tenants interested in opening retail stores in the tight markets of the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to that, (1993
- 2002) she spent 9 years at San Francisco-based Terranomics Retail Services, and six years at McMasters and
Westland/TRI, always focused on retail real estate.
In addition, Christine founded and served as the Northern California International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Alliance/P3 chairman for the private sector, and she used her experience in ground up shopping center development in
consulting to Cities and Counties regarding retail commercial corridors and downtowns.
A representative list of clients include:
Paci c Development Group
Kohl’s Department Stores
Target Stores
Andronico’s Markets
Crow Family Holdings Group
AMC Theatres
Wal-Mart
Stein Mart
O ice Depot
Serra Center Holdings
Safeway Stores
Costco
Longs Drugs/CVS
Catellus
Starwood Retail Partners
Century Theatres
Safeway Development Company (PDC)
The Sobrato Organization
Regency Centers
Berkeley Farms Land
