Hawkins served as bond counsel to the California Academy of Sciences in its effort to rebuild its Natural History Museum, Steinhart Aquarium and Morrison Planetarium, located in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. The 409,000 square foot project was designed by Pritzker Prize winner Renzo Piano and financed with several series of bonds issued over a five-year period. In its most recent transaction, the Academy refinanced $281 million in bonds via a floating rate index mode financing, which could save the museum up to $6 million of interest over the next 3 years. These savings will help the museum keep the ticket prices affordable to its annual 1.5 million visitors. Hawkins has assisted the Academy with analysis and advice with respect to many issues that arose for this complicated series of financings and was able to contribute significantly towards the success of the Academy's plan of finance.
| Client | California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank |
| Role | Bond Counsel |
| Distinction | Pritzker Prize Winner for Architecture Design |
| Issuer | California Infrastructure And Economic Development Bank |
| Issue Size | $281 Million |
