Bently Holdings

The Owners

In 2001 Christopher and Amber Marie Bently founded Bently Holdings, embarking on their dreams in San Francisco and around the world. The Bentlys have a strong entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit and being artists, they relish in restoring once grand buildings to their original splendor. They are drawn to buildings that are beautiful, timeless, or special in some unique way.

Although not native to San Francisco, the Bentlys have considered it their home for many years. Christopher moved to San Francisco in 1984, calling it "the most beautiful city in the world." Amber moved to San Francisco in 1999, one year after the couple met. Both have a deep love for the city, its architecture, and its people.

Christopher and Amber also love to travel; South America and Asia are among their favorite destinations. They have an affinity for language and love experiencing the cultures of the world. The couple took a two month journey through India in 2004 and again in 2006 to research Ayurveda, and were inspired to open what has become the Bay Area's most exclusive spa and salon, Kamalaspa. Kamalaspa is an Indian Ayurvedic retreat on the 7th floor of 240 Stockton at Union Square. "We had a vacant floor and a creative moment, so we went for it," says Amber Marie, "it was built to sooth the most discerning of spa junkies: us!"

Amber Marie has also studied jewelry design at the Revere Academy. She puts her love for other cultures and her creativity to use in creative jewelry designs which feature exotic gems and sophisticated designs inspired by the Far East. Her beautiful jewelry is also available for purchase at Kamalaspa as well as Manika Jewelers on Maiden Lane.

The couple are avid environmentalists, insisting on nothing less than strict green operating fundamentals for all their businesses. Amber Marie sat on the Green Business Council of San Francisco in 2006. She also created her own all natural, organic skin care line for Kamalaspa. Both Christopher and Amber Marie sit on the board of directors of PRBO Conservation Science. They also are on the fund raising committee for Global Green. Christopher even takes the stairs up to his office every day, so as not to waste electricity on the elevator. "It's just mind boggling to me to when people leave their garbage behind in the park after enjoying a nice lunch outdoors," he says. "People think I'm crazy for going in behind them and throwing their garbage away, but I think they're crazy for having not done it themselves."

The Bentlys have become awarded philanthropists; the majority of their contributions go to environmental issues, the arts, or to the welfare of animals. They plan to continue investing in San Francisco, and have many endeavors planned for their current properties. Christopher and Amber live in San Francisco with their two pugs, Mugsy and Che.

About Bently Holdings

"We're a principle driven company that adheres to a set of core environmental values."

Bently Holdings is a private asset holdings and management company. We oversee real property investments, and operate under strict green business practices with little to no debt. The company holds its assets for the long term, and is always expanding through its focus on buildings of historic value or architectural splendor.

Although Bently Holdings invests in real estate, we’re in the people business too. Careful selection and superb care for our tenants is of the utmost importance — as are the employees we choose to represent Bently Holdings. We’re a principle driven company that adheres to a strict set of core values. We attract the sort of person who’s looking to take pride in something special, something to call home.

In all properties we use only non-toxic janitorial supplies and renewable building supplies, and have succeeded in drastically reducing power consumption. Our offices are run in an almost paperless digital environment, and use only recycled paper products printed with natural soy inks.

All new tenant build-outs are mandated to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Carpets, which take up some of the largest space in landfills, must be made from recycled materials in all of our new build-outs. We’ve even mandated that sheet rock, aluminum studs, nails, and concrete are to come from recycled materials. Demolition, must all go to be recycled as well, we aim to have 0% waste going to land fills.
We are committed to using environmentally friendly paint products which contain no VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). We are voluntarily upgrading all older, less environmentally friendly building systems such as HVAC chiller units to systems that not only emit near zero harmful emissions, but run on considerably less energy.

Bently Holdings is also engaged in alternative energies. We’re looking to offset more than 90% of our energy consumption at Belvedere Place in Marin county with solar power. All the vehicles in our corporate fleet, as well as all generators, run on pure B100 biodiesel produced by our sister company, Bently Biofuels.

We cannot afford to operate any other way. Try as we might, it’s impossible to become completely carbon neutral— this is why Bently Holdings will be donating to complete carbon neutrality the amount we are not able to reduce for 2007. This is something every business can do right now, today. It is our responsibility to do what’s right, to take the initiative and make our world a cleaner and safer place.

Bently Holdings plans to change the direction of real estate in the entire Bay Area towards a more responsible viewpoint, and to restore environmental integrity to the business.

In 2006, Bently Holdings corporate office in San Francisco was awarded the prestigious Energy Star Building rating; making it the second oldest building in San Francisco with this honor. For 2007, again, 240 Stockton along with Belvedere Place both achieved Energy Star ratings. The newly renovated, LEED certified Bently Reserve will surely join the ranks of Energy Star in 2008!