Kevin Stevens
Partner and owner of Stevens Development Company.
Kevin runs Stevens Development Company and oversees property management & leasing. He was a Palo Alto Unified School District teacher for more than 12 years. He graduated with economics and sociology degrees from UC Irvine where he was a captain of the Division I golf team. Kevin is married with two children.
Bob Stevens
Managing General Partner
Bob developed commercial properties in the SF Bay Area in the 1970s & 80s and later was co-founder/CEO of three tech companies: an educational software company, Earthquest, an Internet company, ImproveNet, that went public in 2001 and in 2016 an educational software company Wyz Kid Labs. Bob received an MBA from Stanford University. Stevens Development Co. was recognized as a Green Business Leader by the City of Palo Alto in 2012
101 UNIVERSITY / 444 HIGH
The 101 University and 444 High St buildings were developed in 1982-83 by the three partners shown above. The land was vacant when purchased but in the late 1800s and early 1900s the properties had large trolley barns serving public transportation needs of Palo Alto. The two buildings are contiguous and share a common underground parking garage. These 4-story, Class A buildings serve as the gateway to Stanford University from Palo Alto, connecting University Avenue and Alma Expressway.
Bill Busse
Former General Partner
An architect by profession, Bill was President of a prominent Palo Alto architectural firm, Spencer Associates for more than 20 years. In addition to designing many buildings at Stanford, a number of national park visitor centers among many commercial buildings, Spencer Associates was the project architect for the 101 University and 444 High St buildings. Bill received his architectural degree from Stanford University. Bill passed away in 2021.
Jack Woodruff
Former General Partner
Jack spent many years in the Bay Area as a commercial general contractor and developer. Jack’s primary focus over 35 years of work was creating prominent office buildings, including his firm’s work as general contractor for the 101 University and 444 High St buildings. Jack received his engineering degree from the UC Berkeley. He passed away in 2013.
125 UNIVERSITY
The 125 University building was originally constructed in the mid-1920s having been designed by the renowned Palo Alto architect, Birge Clark. 125 University has been designated as an historic building by the City of Palo Alto. For some 30 years the building was a major retail store serving the mid-Peninsula area, originally as a Roos Brothers store. After being boarded-up for years after the Stanford Shopping Center was built, the building was remodeled and converted to office use in the late 1970s. A partnership headed by Bob Stevens and Bill Busse bought the building in 1980 and have owned the property ever since.
Designed by Birge Clark, built in 1925
ENERGY STAR/CARBON FREE CERTIFIED
Regular upgrades in building systems and interior improvements have been made over the past 30 years. Most recently sophisticated energy management systems have been made to provide web-based remote monitoring and adjustment of all thermostats throughout the buildings. As a result of energy efficiency upgrades made in recent years, in 2012 the EPA gave Energy Star designation to 101 University, 444 High Street and 125 University for their superior energy performance.
The buildings also were Carbon Free Certified in 2012 through a combination of building efficiencies and retirement of verifiable carbon allowances.
