More “Green” Will Be Seen
(Left) Interior space in the Ford Point Building can be customized to tenant’s particular needs. Photo by Joel Williams (Right) The craneway of the Ford Point Building on Richmond’s waterfront is slated to be the location of the WWII Home Front Visitors Center as well as restaurants and shops. Photo by Donna Graves
Published: April, 2007
Ford Point Building in Richmond’s scenic waterfront area has been the site of increased activity lately, after the recent announcement that Berkeley-based PowerLight, a leading manufacturer of large-scale solar power systems, will be moving its headquarters to the Ford Point Building.
The 517,000 square feet historic structure, located at the foot of Harbour Way South on the Richmond Marina Bay shoreline, is an outstanding example of 20th Century industrial architecture, designed by Albert Kahn, who is known for his daylight factory design that employed his trademark — extensive window openings. The sawtooth roof design with large northern skylights provides an incredible natural light and airy feel. It is the only remaining example of Kahn’s work on the West Coast and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Less than a year after its first tenant, Wine.com moved in, Orton Development, the company that is renovating the Ford Point Building, announced that one third of the building would soon be occupied by PowerLight, the solar power company just down the road. The recent deal, brokered by NAI BT Commercial and CM Realty, states that PowerLight will occupy 175,000 square feet of the Ford Point Building, a space over six times the existing 27,000 square feet it currently occupies in two separate buildings in Berkeley. The move to Richmond allows it to consolidate its entire operation into one facility to house manufacturing, sales, marketing, administrative, finance, research and development, design and shipping. PowerLight, which was bought by publicly-owned San Jose-based SunPower for $333 million in January, says the move is scheduled for the end of this year. Around 200 employees are expected to move with the company to Richmond, and it plans to hire more employees as its business expands.
This announcement is a significant step in the reinventing of the Ford Point Building, which has a rich history involving heavy machinery production.
We are delighted that this icon of 20th Century industrial production will become a beacon for 21st Century clean, green technology, said Tom Dinwoodie, chief executive officer of PowerLight. The Ford Plant in Richmond provides us with the opportunity to relocate to an architecturally-significant, unique, waterfront space that will accommodate our growth and support our corporate culture. As a historic landmark building located in a redevelopment district, it helps serve our commitment to environmental responsibility and creative re-use.
PowerLight won’t be the first green company to set up shop at the Ford Point Building. Vetrazzo, a manufacturing company that transforms recycled glass into exquisite, one-of-a-kind surfaces also moved in last summer after Wine.com and Title 9 Sports, a multi-channel retailer of women’s athletic apparel.
Vetrazzo surfaces are used for countertops, tabletops, flooring and wall cladding. The stunning surfaces are composed of more than 85 percent recycled materials and can be used anywhere natural stone surfaces are used. Verrazzo’s manufacturing facility occupies 40,000 square feet of the Ford Point Building and it plans to move its corporate offices there in the near future.
We sell beauty, James Sheppard, president of Vetrazzo said, adding: The best thing that we’ve got going is the natural light that the Ford Point Building offers because it allows everyone on our production staff to be focused on quality control. The natural daylight that the building provides is really extraordinary. Our product is made from glass, so the interplay of the glass and natural light is an important end result that our customers look for. How better to make sure we catch that than to make sure that we are looking at it every step of the manufacturing process?
The natural light the building offers isn’t the only thing that Sheppard likes about being in Richmond, We also have staff that during their lunch break will go cast a fishing line over into the Bay, and that’s a pretty neat thing to be able to offer as a perk to your employees. Sheppard went on to say, We’re really thrilled. There’s not a lot of manufacturing still being done in California and we’re really pleased to be able to help recycle the former Ford Plant Building back to its manufacturing roots.
Orton Development also announced that Mountain Hardwear, a leading brand in the mountaineering and outdoor clothing and gear industry, has signed a lease to rent almost 80,000 square feet including the original office space for the Ford executives. According to Mike Wallenfels, president of Mountain Hardwear, It’s an ideal space for Mountain Hardwear and a spectacular location. The location will better represent the Mountain Hardwear brand and offer a better working environment for our employees.
Best-Line, Inc., a manufacturer of Roman shades and window coverings since 1980, moved its manufacturing facility and corporate offices to a 24,000 square foot space at the Ford Point Building in October. According to Jill Shaffer, president of Best-Line, It’s a great building. We love it. We had 40 employees at our old place and we’ve been able to expand to 54, and plan on expanding to 80. The atmosphere of the building is just absolutely lovely, the inside with the atriums and skylights just make it a real pleasure to work here.
The final plans for the building include flexible spaces for live-work use as well as traditional storefronts and offices. While most modern live-work lofts limit the type of businesses to a traditional office type environment, the Ford Point Building offers much more flexibility in the types of businesses it can accommodate, including some manufacturing and light industrial applications.
Plus, around 40,000 square feet of open space that housed the craneway at the waterfront is being reserved for public use and will house the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park Visitor Center, as well as various restaurant and retail establishments – in an environment similar to San Francisco’s Ferry Building. The area in front of the craneway also offers spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline to further enhance outdoor dining when the building renovation is finished.
The Ford Point Building transformation is well underway and in the future will provide a vibrant new waterfront environment for the City of Richmond. According to Troy Peterson, a project manager with Orton Development, the building is expected to be at least 80 percent occupied by the end of the year. If the sentiments of the current residents are any indication, it shouldn’t be much longer before it finds the remaining occupants to complete this unique business community.
Richmond Community Redevelopment Agency
Office of Economic Development
(510) 307-8140 Richmondca4business.com
James Sheppard, president of Vetrazzo, in front of one of the many variations of surfaces that are created from 85 percent recycled materials. Top right: A close-up of the cobalt sky pattern currently being offered by Vetrazzo. Photos by Joel Williams
(Left) The large skylights in the Ford Point Building provide generous amounts of natural light for Best-Line’s manufacturing facility. (Right) The area in front of the craneway offers spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline to further enhance outdoor dining when the building is finished. Photos by Joel Williams
