Roger DeWames

President, Office Properties, Irvine Company

Irvine Company is going through a big change. In late 2025 it fully left the downtown San Diego office market with the sale of its final property, One America Plaza. The sale marked the end of its significant downtown presence after years of divesting its portfolio of struggling office towers, shifting focus instead to areas like University City, and ended the company’s run as the city center’s dominant landlord. The firm also outsourced its leasing in Chicago as of July 2025, when its in-house brokers were absorbed by CBRE.

DeWames, who has been at the company since 2011, is the architect of the shift, responsible for leading the office division of Newport Beach-based Irvine Company, called Irvine Company Office Properties. He oversees a platform spanning over 54 million square feet in California, Chicago and New York. 

Irvine Company assets include Innovation Office Park, a 75-acre master-planned campus in Orange County. The first phase opened in spring 2021. The firm said at the end of 2024 it would spend $24 million to revamp four office campuses in Orange County to lure tenants seeking a “flight to quality.” Prior to his current role, DeWames led development, acquisition and reinvestment activities for the company’s office and self-storage portfolios. DeWames arrived at Irvine after heading up development, acquisitions and investment in Hines’ Orange County office.

 — Lauren Elkies Schram