The Gate Opens New World of Creative Space for Art, Tech, Maker Community
18-acre East Bay building transformed into art, tech, maker hub offering unique opportunities for today’s creative-commerce class
February 10, 2014 — San Leandro, California — When is a commercial building not just a commercial building? When it creates a disruptive, new definition for a place to work. In short: The Gate. Animated by the creative energy of its artists-in-residence, tech-startup visionaries, and makers of all stripes, The Gate is simply not like other commercial buildings. Well, it is, perhaps, reminiscent of such earlier, precedent-setting New York City landmarks as the iconic Brill Building, where, the art and business of music was turned on its ear, or The Factory, where Warhol and friends lived and breathed entirely new art forms. It also takes a digital page from Silicon Valley’s Xerox PARC and all those suburban garages, where things like mice and killer apps were invented and then went on to ignite—and change—the world.
Fusing art and commerce in 1,000 – 10,000 square foot spaces
Today, the Gate goes beyond the concept of “commercial building” to meld commerce and creativity for 21st century movers and shakers: artists, technologists, and makers. Proud of its 1940s labor roots as a Plymouth manufacturing plant, The Gate is currently offering unique spaces from 1,000-10,000 square feet — factory-raw, office-finished, and build-to-suit. Building amenities abound, including ultra-fast fiber cable throughout, collaborative kitchens, and a central square designed to promote tenant-curated events, community gatherings, and commerce, in addition to the purposefully-designed private spaces where passionate people pursue their daily work.
Observing that “we’re at the beginning of a new Renaissance of art and commerce,” Andrew Johnstone, design artist for The Man at Burning Man as well as an artist for the British Royal Family, continues, “I’ve come to The Gate because it’s the Florence of our time, where art and commerce can flourish together.”
Espen Silvertsen, CEO of Type A Machines, says, “The Gate is the ideal place for a tech startup. We are building a 3D printing collaboration hub here.”
“I’m at The Gate because sharing large-scale art within a community, within a building, is a dream come true,” says John Baden, designer and resident muralist at The Gate.
The Gate newcomer Dustin Felder, CEO of O2 Treehouses notes, “I need both vertical and horizontal space to grow my business. For building and assembly, The Gate is the place to be. I’m getting a sweet deal.
Location is still central
That age-old real estate maxim of “location, location, location” still holds true today, and The Gate is ideally situated, close to Oakland International Airport and the 880 freeway for easy access to Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. San Leandro itself, incorporated in 1872, is undergoing a remarkable transformation from traditional industrial city to innovation hub. Located on the flip side of San Leandro’s West Gate Center, already anchored by a Home Depot and Office Depot, The Gate provides tenants with cost-effective, steps-away accessibility to the tools of their varied trades.
Some of those already in on the action and doing remarkable work at The Gate include:
Artists
bEEcHARGE!!! Alameda County's Public Defender Supervisor Dave Klaus, who leads bEEcHARGE!!! on and off the Burning Man playa, says, “Thanks to the vision and collaboration of The Gate, our community has found a home where we will have the space, the tools, and the collaboration capacity for building large-scale art projects.” www.beecharge.com
Andrew Johnstone. From restoring gothic cathedrals and palaces in Europe, to becoming the design artist of the The Man at Burning Man, Andrew now shares his mastery of woodgraining, marbling, and trompe l’oeil in small-group, five-day courses beginning March 1st, 2014, exclusively at The Gate.
www.adjohnstone.com and http://architecturalartsguild.com
Psychic Taxi. Tres Fontaine & Jack Allen’s latest creation was the Divine Feminine art project at Burning Man, a 40-foot teepee that becomes the interactive viewer’s “skirt.” Next up? The Divine Masculine, of course. https://www.facebook.com/DivineMasculine2014
Steve Heck. From sculpting 100 pianos into an arch for California Governor Jerry Brown's inaugurations to creating playable piano towers for the Grateful Dead and Lollapalooza, Heck harmonizes sight, sound, and experience into amazing, one-of-a-kind works of art. www.burningman.com/art_of_burningman/art_of_bm2.html
ArtIsMobilUs. Founded by lead curator Richard Felix, ArtIsmobilUs, the country’s first mobile arts incubator, re-fabs buses to bring art to people everywhere, while providing creative platforms for exhibition, collaboration, interactivity, and arts education. www.artismobilus.com
John Baden. John’s pop art-inspired designs transform a variety of surfaces: walls, floors, ceilings, screens, signs, and even furniture. His work has been featured in shops and clubs in San Francisco as well as in magazines and on TV. www.badendesigns.com
Tech Companies
Type A Machines. Guided by CEO Espen Silvertsen, Type A’s Series 1 3D printer was named best-in-class by Make: Magazine! www.typeamachines.com
OmNom Project. Led by co-founders Michael and Mary Beth Howland, Om Nom Projectis an all-in-one 3D print and plastic recycler/filament maker that turns unusable and scrap 3D printed parts back into filament again. http://www.omnomproject.com/
Devolver Digital Films. Andie Grace, VP of Acquisitions & Head Cheerleader, can be found at The Gate, where the optical fiber network extends her reach to connect with and promote independent filmmakers worldwide, and to stay in touch with her partners at Devolver Digital, an Austin, Texas team of industry veterans and pioneers purveying fine digital entertainment wares including video games and indie films. http://www.devolverdigital.com/
Phase Space. Led by CEO Tracy McSheery, PhaseSpace is the industry's price performance leader for motion tracking and position sensing, streamlining animation for broadcast and game development. PhaseSpace systems make the most of The Gate’s optical fiber network, speeding vast amounts of data around the globe. http://www.phasespace.com/
Makers
Drake’s Brewing. Passionately producing innovative craft beers for almost a quarter-of-a-century, the brewery now also has a hopping tasting room and retail store at The Gate. http://drinkdrakes.com
Lazer Racing. Led by Marty Lewis for over 30 years, Lazer Racing specializes in building custom, state-of-the-art race frames for winning riders at all levels of competition: amateur, vintage, and pro. http://lazerracing.com/
O2 Treehouse. With a mission to inspire people to more harmlessly co-exist with nature, O2T builds sustainable outdoor structures for private homes, community organizations, and eco-hotels and resorts. http://o2treehouse.com
Destination Dinners. Self-proclaimed “culinary adventurist” Lisa Diamond designs and packages exotic and delicious dinners-in-a-kit, curated with all the right spices along with cultural programming notes. www.destinationdinners.com
Verbena. Coupling his mixology expertise and passion for culinary exploration, San Francisco bartender Bret Sylvester now serves up seasonal infusions made with fresh, local produce and quality botanicals. http://drinkverbena.com
Come and join the growing community of creative commerce at The Gate.
To find out how you can still get in on the ground floor, contact: David Holley at 510.729.0116 or David.Holley@cis.cushwake.com
Get Your Press Pass: Private Party Valentine’s Night “Hive-warming” party hosted by bEEcHARGE!!! http://tinyurl.com/PRESS-photos-GATE
February 14th at 8:00 p.m. at The Gate - 1933 Davis Street, San Leandro, CA 94577
Come for interviews, photo ops, and party. For interviews or press passes, contact Cheryl Edison at 415.533.9990 or Cheryl@cheryledison.com
THE GATE — Make It Here!
1933 Davis Street
San Leandro, CA 94577
415-533-9990 cheryl@cheryledison.com
The Gate is an18-acre East Bay building transformed into an art, tech, and maker hub offering unique opportunities for today’s creative-commerce class. Located at 1933 Davis Street, San Leandro, CA 94577.
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