WALNUT CREEK, CA-Colliers has hired real estate specialist Maria Choi as an investment broker. Ed Del Beccaro of Colliers says that hiring Choi is a big part of the firm's strategy to take advantage of East Bay commercial opportunities.

SAN RAMON, CA-Shapell Industries has revised its proposal to build a large, affordable housing complex in San Ramon. The developer has sweetened the deal by offering additional funds to the district.

SAN JOSE-San Jose city officials and developers will meet this week to plan a strategy to attract biotechnology firms into the area, putting the city in direct competition with San Francisco, which already has lured more than 70 biotech companies.

EAST PALO ALTO, CA-Voters in March will be asked to approve the rezoning of the proposed 10.5-acre site from neighborhood commercial and multi-family residential to general commercial and to amend the Gateway/101 Corridor Specific Plan to allow an increase in square footage, floor area ratio, height, design flexibility and multilevel parking.

SEASIDE, CA-A former U.S. Army property has been deeded to the Chartwell School, which will build upon it resources for students with learning disabilities.

ROSEVILLE, CA- American Pacific Mortgage Corp. has subleased 15,000-sf in the former Prima Communications headquarters building. Prima, a publishing company recently acquired by Random House, still occupies part of the building.

SAN FRANCISCO-A San Francisco nonprofit group has purchased a 100,000-sf office building for $30 million, showing that not everybody is crumbling under the recession.

PLEASANTON, CA-Cities are scrambling to replace technology firms that have gone under with more reliable substitutes. The city of Hayward invested a lot of time and energy into attracting biotech firms, and it resulted in a recent $4.9 million deal.