SALINAS SCENE: Grower-Shipper Association building getting tenants back
SALINAS SCENE: Grower-Shipper Association building getting tenants back
Life is beginning to return to normal at the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California's building in Salinas, CA, nearly five months after a fire forced tenants to find other working quarters.
A July 18 fire destroyed the kitchen and damaged part of an adjacent small conference room. Power and water were restored to the building the day following the 10 p.m. fire, and disruption to the association's work was minimal.
The damage to the small conference room largely came from firefighter efforts to stop the spread of the fire. There was no major structural or property damage to the rest of the building, but the building suffered heavy smoke damage.
For much of the time since the fire, the association was the only business functioning in the building and was able to serve its members from there, said Jim Bogart, the association's president. In addition to the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, the building houses six other tenants -- five in the fresh produce industry and one law firm -- using seven rooms in the building. As of Tuesday, Dec. 4, half the tenants were back in the building and the others had indicated they plan to return, Mr. Bogart said.
"The building is ready," Mr. Bogart said. "It helps immensely to be able to hold meetings, training and educational seminars." The association will hold an open house at its building on Thursday, Dec 13.
The fire moved up the timetable for certain building renovations that were planned, Mr. Bogart said. The building is now fully enabled for wireless Internet, and new windows and light bulbs are in place that are more energy efficient than those that were in use prior to the fire. There is a new security system in place. There are also enhancements to the kitchen and cosmetic enhancements such as new carpeting throughout the building.
"We had a lot of offers of office space and staffing needs," Mr. Bogart said. "It's a tribute to the association. Everybody was willing to pitch in."
Abundant offers of assistance that came both from within agriculture and outside agriculture made Mr. Bogart feel "like Jimmy Stewart at the end of 'It's A Wonderful Life,'" he said.
A July 18 fire destroyed the kitchen and damaged part of an adjacent small conference room. Power and water were restored to the building the day following the 10 p.m. fire, and disruption to the association's work was minimal.
The damage to the small conference room largely came from firefighter efforts to stop the spread of the fire. There was no major structural or property damage to the rest of the building, but the building suffered heavy smoke damage.
For much of the time since the fire, the association was the only business functioning in the building and was able to serve its members from there, said Jim Bogart, the association's president. In addition to the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, the building houses six other tenants -- five in the fresh produce industry and one law firm -- using seven rooms in the building. As of Tuesday, Dec. 4, half the tenants were back in the building and the others had indicated they plan to return, Mr. Bogart said.
"The building is ready," Mr. Bogart said. "It helps immensely to be able to hold meetings, training and educational seminars." The association will hold an open house at its building on Thursday, Dec 13.
The fire moved up the timetable for certain building renovations that were planned, Mr. Bogart said. The building is now fully enabled for wireless Internet, and new windows and light bulbs are in place that are more energy efficient than those that were in use prior to the fire. There is a new security system in place. There are also enhancements to the kitchen and cosmetic enhancements such as new carpeting throughout the building.
"We had a lot of offers of office space and staffing needs," Mr. Bogart said. "It's a tribute to the association. Everybody was willing to pitch in."
Abundant offers of assistance that came both from within agriculture and outside agriculture made Mr. Bogart feel "like Jimmy Stewart at the end of 'It's A Wonderful Life,'" he said.
