Fri, July 17 2009 - Clif Bar & Company to Establish New Planet-Friendly Headquarters in Emeryville

Berkeley, CA—Clif Bar & Company and Ellis Partners LLC today announced that the makers of all‐natural and organic foods and drinks will relocate their company headquarters to Emeryville. The 15‐year, 115,000 square foot lease in Ellis Partners’ EmeryTech development will allow Clif Bar access to significant amenities and a space that accommodates and reinforces the company’s unique culture.

“We are honored to be able to accommodate the environmental and employee‐friendly requirements of Clif Bar in this iconic Emeryville building,” said Jim Ellis, Managing Principal of Ellis Partners LLC. “This is refreshingly good news for the local economy and a sign that stability is beginning to return.”

Located at 1400 65th Street, EmeryTech is Emeryville’s premier adaptive re‐use space. The 225,000 square foot building is a former valve manufacturing plant with distinctive Bauhaus architectural details that hearken back to the city’s past. Ellis Partners re‐purposed the facility for mixed‐use by adding significant amenities, including dramatic atriums and soaring glass-filled ceilings to allow for energy‐efficient natural light, as well as a fully redundant data center. In keeping with Clif Bar’s commitment to the environment, it will be pursuing a LEED Gold certification from the Unites States Green Building Council (USGBC). With the move, Clif Bar & Company will add still more amenities that reflect the company’s focus on creating a healthy workplace that sustains their employees.

“Our business is built on five aspirations of sustainability—sustaining our people, business, brands, community and the planet,” said Clif Bar & Company founder and co‐owner Gary Erickson. “Our new space is an exciting opportunity to extend all five of those visions.”

“We’re especially pleased that our new headquarters gives us another way to lighten our company’s footprint on the planet while offering Clif people a thriving environment for their health and well being,” said Kit Crawford co‐owner of Clif Bar & Company.

Improvements to the space will include a wellness center with state of the art fitness facilities for its athletes and active employees, bike garage, hair salon, kitchen, full‐time day‐care facility, and theater for employee meetings and community events.

“Clif Bar has a global reputation for its responsible policies toward both its employees and the environment,” added Ellis. “We’ve collaborated closely with their team to ensure that this space not only fulfills their every need, but that it speaks to the values that make Clif Bar a leader in sustainable practices.”

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Clif Bar & Company to the Emeryville community,” said Pat O’Keefe, Emeryville City Manager. “We’ve made a deep commitment to fostering growing, innovative businesses and we’re proud to count Clif Bar among that group.”

Jim McPhee of Cushman and Wakefield represented the tenant. Mike Rafetto, Sid Ewing, and Grant Jones of CB Richard Ellis represented Ellis Partners LLC. Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP and DPR Construction are designing and building the environmentally‐ and employee-friendly space.

About Clif Bar & Company
Clif Bar & Company is a leading maker of all‐natural and organic foods and drinks, including the organic certified CLIF® BAR energy bar, delivering Nutrition for Sustained Energy®, and LUNA®, The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women®. Committed to sustainability, Clif Bar & Company works diligently to reduce its footprint on the planet from the field to the final product. For more information please visit www.clifbar.com

About Ellis Partners LLC
Ellis Partners LLC is one of Northern California’s largest commercial developers and investors focused on office, retail, industrial and mixed use product types. The firm’s multi‐faceted
capabilities include land entitlement and development, property repositioning, adaptive re‐use and historic renovation. Ellis Partners also provides leasing expertise, asset management and development management services to its portfolio. For more information visit www.ellispartners.com