Image Archives - Grupe Huber Company

Picture of Grupe Huber official building

Feature

Hybrid Offices: Building a Remarkable HQ

August 3, 2021

Hybrid offices are on the rise, offering the chance for on-site or remote work to their workforce. After a year of remote work for many, the struggle to find a comfortable transition has led many businesses to opt for the flexibility of both options or a mix of the two for their team. If headquarters has become the place for in-person client meetings and team get-togethers, it only makes sense that a team’s homebase needs to be an environment where community, unity, and inspiration are felt. For instance, Grupe Huber Company has been a pioneer in the Stockton community, moving our headquarters from a traditional office “A” class space to a historic remodel in our signature redevelopment project, University Park.

This past year has brought on significant changes in the way people approach their work environment. A recent report from Accenture cited that 83% of workers they surveyed preferred a hybrid model.¹ High-growth organizations have taken note with 63% of them enabling productivity anywhere workforce models.² As the popularity of hybrid offices continues to rise, it becomes increasingly important to invest in spaces that will captivate the team when they come together and facilitate in-person collaboration that is essential to the success of every business. The need for office space is not going away, in fact, it is now an even more critical piece to establishing company culture, workforce engagement, and increasing productivity. “While some level of remote working is going to remain with us, the best future innovation and products will come from the teamwork and collaboration that is derived from face-to-face teamwork with colleagues,” stated Kevin Huber, President and CEO of Grupe Huber Company. New office projects focus on creating a sense of openness, a place that invites teams to congregate while also maintaining more private spaces for individual work.

The days of big walls and siloed cubicles are long behind us. Amenities are an important factor when recruiting new talent, because companies are expected to contribute to larger lifestyle aspirations in order to stay competitive. A headquarters should offer a standard slate of amenities including a modern but functional kitchen, warm common areas, fun break out spaces, and more. It’s essential to provide amenities that are functional, yet aspirational for workers and tailored to the overall company culture. Just as a medical office prioritizes patients, a tech company prioritizes innovation so each of those office spaces needs to reflect the business’ mission and values accordingly. It’s also a chance for the company to show some personality. The Grupe Huber headquarters located at University Park does just that, balancing modern design and layout with archival pieces that nod to tradition and legacy. The right amenities help to establish a healthy and engaging work environment that encourages workers to feel invested, and pay forward that investment with their dedication to the work.

A historic remodel property offers a great approach for building a headquarters that is modern and forward-thinking, while maintaining the history and character of the community – a truly unique office. In a Capital One workplace survey, 79% of full-time office employees agreed that a company cannot encourage innovation unless their workplace environment is innovative, and bringing a fresh perspective to an existing space can help build that foundation.³ Workers want to feel like the place where they work with their team and achieve their goals is special. It is impossible to replicate authenticity, you have to build it from the ground up.

Revamping a historically significant building is also an incredibly effective way to show respect for tradition and signal a long term investment in the community. Oftentimes, historic buildings that are optimal for a remodel are located in areas that have been somewhat overlooked by the surrounding community and are in need of something new. A historic remodel can serve as a new hub for continued investment, bringing new businesses, jobs, and foot traffic that can revitalize an entire neighborhood. It is important to consider the history of the land, its existing tenants, and the overarching needs of the community in order to make a historic remodel successful. Grupe Huber’s University Park, a momentous, 20 year remodel project, brought over 20 new and thriving businesses to a site that dates back to the 1850’s. An era when, following the Gold Rush, Captain Charles Weber donated 102 acres of land to the city of Stockton to provide hospital care to those who were struggling with mental illness. “By marrying modern technology and design with public artwork, a world-class rose garden, historic features and a contiguous 102 acre campus, we have been able to create a truly special place where people work, learn, heal, and play” commented Mr. Huber. University Park doesn’t shy away from history, it’s an integral part of the project’s mission.

A remarkable headquarters is essential to building a successful business and Grupe Huber approaches each project with a deep understanding of how physical space can impact people. We approach every project with fresh eyes and a modern point of view, understanding that as the workforce continues to move to the future, we are here to help build it. We are developers who partner in every step of the process, committed to shaping spaces that reflect your business’ story.

https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/consulting/future-work
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/consulting/future-work
https://medium.com/@lindseypollak/what-do-multigenerational-employees-want-in-a-work-environment-a5ae1803ef4b

Feature

Focused on the Future

by Kevin Huber, President & CEO
March 29, 2021

As I reflect on the last 12 months, I am reminded that on average it takes 66 days of a behavior change to form a habit. Think about that… 66 days, yet we have all had our behavior disrupted for over 360 days. If you are like me, there are definite changes that you’ve accepted as your “new normal.” Some of these may be positive changes, and some may be ones you hope to change “post-COVID.” Everyone has a story the past year and, just as I am, you are likely fatigued by all the COVID commentary, which is why I want to talk about the future and how I intend to think about it going forward.

I want my future to consist of at least these 5 things:

- Maintaining a strong foundation.
- Focusing on what is truly needed for success.
- Taking care of people.
- Having goals beyond financial success that improve the lives of others.
- Taking risks.

As I sit in my office at University Park, I am watching the new 50-bed post-acute care rehabilitation hospital start construction. The first thing they have done is remove between 6’-10’ of soil and replace it with new soil and base rock that will allow for a much stronger foundation. This reminded me of the importance of a strong foundation. In our lives, I believe that a personal foundation mainly consists of four components: our Family, our Friends, our Faith, and a Good Education. When these components are bound together, they create the basis for a strong foundation. Without a strong foundation, anything we build can crumble.

When I reflect on past learning experiences, I am reminded of when my CFO/CTO for the corporate housing company I sold to Marriott in 1999 was designing a proprietary software for our company with an outside firm. When she presented the preliminary outline and budget, she broke it down into three categories. The first were things we absolutely needed to include, which became our base budget. Next were features that she felt would be nice to have and had the potential to add some value to our services, and that added an incremental increase. The third was what she called the “cool factor” which included features that were not necessarily going to add value, but that would seem cool. Of course, this added a third layer of cost. Since we were running on a tight budget, we chose the features that we needed and the ones that we had confidence would add value. We passed on the “cool factor” features. As I think about my personal and business decisions, I plan to focus on what I need and some things, that by having them, I am confident will add value. I’ll leave the “cool factor” for people cooler than me!

Through the pandemic, we did not layoff any employees, we created a new 401k plan with a safe harbor match, and an improved menu of health benefits. I have had multiple employees pull me aside and thank me for helping them make it through this past year and improve their financial situation. I know in my heart that if one of these people were recruited by another company, unless the opportunity was substantially better than their current situation, they will feel as loyal to us as we feel to them. Taking care of people when they need it will result in them taking care of others when they need it.

Our family has a history of community involvement with a variety of educational, charitable, and community organizations. Some of the most rewarding experiences and relationships we have built are through endeavors that aim to serve others. If your goals are focused only on you, then you will be the only one working on them. When you help others reach their goals, you’d be surprised how you find yourself reaching your own goals along the way. I plan to continue having goals that improve the lives of other people, not expecting anything in return. I have found that when I have done so, the reward is always returned to me in some meaningful way.

Finally, I believe that taking risks is part of what creates meaning in our lives. In a speech that I heard Senator Alan Simpson give he said “if you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t- then do!”.

Senator Simpson went on to quote Leo Buscaglia’s thoughts on Risks, which goes as follows:

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out to another is to risk involvement,

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return,

To live is to risk dying,

To hope is to risk despair,

To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

He may avoid suffering and sorrow,

But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.

Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. I plan to continue to take risks and experience another year full of meaningful experiences.

I hope my thoughts have helped you think about your future. What will you focus on? Share it with us on social media!

My Warmest Regards for a bright future!

Kevin

Painting of a girl holding a basket of fruits

The Beauty Of

The Beauty of the Bounty

by Sandy Grupe Huber, Principal
March 29, 2021

This summer, I watched as the plums ripened on the fruit tree outside my parent’s garden. The warmth of the sun brought a deep purple hue to the fruit and I observed that the changing of the seasons continued as normal. This felt particularly grounding in a year that shook my stability.

My Mom grew up in Oakland during World War II and my engineer grandfather was gone for three years, serving his adopted country in the Aleutian Islands. Mom remembers sitting with her mother, hearing warning sirens and feeling cocooned by darkened windows. She has memories of boarders who worked building battleships to guard the Pacific living in their home, the grate of their boots on the stairs, and sharing their kitchen table and meals. There was a Victory Garden planted in the backyard, and Mom recalls how it fed them. They grew vegetables and fruit trees in harmony with the seasons and collected their bounty which made its way onto the dinner table and into jars stacked neatly in rows in the big pantry. Each can had its own story to tell about the season that harbored it, the water that fed it, the hands that collected it, and those that worked to carefully seal it into the jar for future use.

Among her many areas of brilliance, my Mom has always loved the process of picking and canning. She learned it in part from her Maternal Grandmother, Nana, who lived with her until she was in high school. Nana, originally from Minnesota, canned everything from green beans to peaches and her primary rules in the kitchen were about having fun and staying safe.

This fall I received the gift of my Mother’s time and knowledge of being in the kitchen, and most especially about being in the kitchen as a family. Mom cares a lot about the blackberries and plums, but she cares about each of us much more.

My Mom is not a preacher, but with wisdom and gentleness, she preaches love and sustainability into our caretaking of the harvested bounty. There are enough cookbooks in the world, this is a recipe for togetherness.

This year I had the blessing of canning with my Mom alone, with time to learn her stories. Stirring granola with my daughter Leslie and her partner Kendal while making adjustments to the recipe card using the modern technology of an IPad. Baking, cooling, and frosting cookies with daughter Meredith and eager young tasters, Clara Belle and Evelia Joy. Each experience was unique and beautiful. Four generations in the kitchen, laughing, learning, as we continued cooking and valuing The Bounty.

Here are some takeaways, and a recipe:

Always move the canning jar to the back of the stove when removing it from the boiling pot of water. On occasion, jars have exploded. Keep it as far from your body as possible.
Always wear an apron. I had no idea how many fruits would stain your clothes.
Limit the guests in the kitchen to about four while canning. As in the old, but very true saying, that ‘too many cooks in the kitchen, spoil the broth’.
Expect canning to take more time than one would expect. Plan at least four hours. Expect to be tired after.
The experience of slowing down, carving out time, and preparing a project requires effort; however, the benefits of love and learning are greatly rewarding and life-lasting. We cannot pass down what we do not take the time to model. Look for the models around you and ask for them to share their wisdom. I bet they will be happy to pour themselves into you. As you get full, you will be able to share your bounty with others.

Click here for Phyllis’s Plum Jelly Recipe!

Picture of a building with yellow effects

Welcome Ernest Health & Vibra Healthcare to University Park

by Dan Keyser, Senior Vice President
March 29, 2021

Grupe Huber has been extremely fortunate in that over the past year our business has not slowed down. We’ve continued to partner with new tenants, start new developments, and are always looking for new opportunities. We are very excited to announce that earlier this year construction commenced on a brand-new medical facility at our master plan community, University Park.

San Joaquin County’s first medical rehabilitation hospital is planned to open its doors at University Park in the Spring of 2022. The 63,000 square foot, two-story, 50-bed medical rehabilitation hospital will be an Ernest Health Hospital, managed by Vibra Healthcare. This will be a specialty hospital that focuses on treating people who are recovering from debilitating injuries, illnesses, surgeries, and chronic medical conditions. When completed, this hospital will be able to bring up to 150 jobs to Stockton and extremely necessary services to the community as it is the first of its kind in the county.

As many will tell you, the atmosphere of a facility can play a huge role in the healing process. Typically, hospital environments tend to be very stale, have lots of concrete, and do not feel like a place of warmth, comfort, or peace. When talking to Jennifer Selikoff, Chief Development Officer at Vibra Healthcare & Ernest Health, about why they chose to partner with Grupe Huber and build at University Park, she mentioned that all you have to do is walk out onto the University Park campus to understand why. Jennifer noted that “being able to build a rehab hospital on the beautiful lake, next to the rose garden, and with tenants like Welbe Health right next door, it’s kind of the ideal campus setting for us.”

When creating a master plan community, like University Park, developers have to come up with a vision for all the different uses that they want to see happen over the years. At University Park, we have adapted our plan to be one that provides a continuum of care. Our focus on healthcare has put us in a unique position to strategically partner with tenants that will serve our community and not be in competition with one another. We have relationships with tenants that go 30+ years because we truly feel that their success is our success, and so we foster environments and projects for them to be successful in. We are excited that with the addition of the Stockton Region Rehabilitation Hospital, we will be adding on to the continuum of care that is provided to the residents of our community and located at University Park.

Jennifer explained to us that rehab patients stay an average of anywhere from 12-14 days and that when a patient is in a hospital for more than a day or two, and are encouraged to get up and move – their environment is incredibly important. She shared with us that “the University Park campus provides an opportunity for an outdoor therapy courtyard and we’ll be able to take advantage of the walking trails, providing space for our patients, their loved ones that come to visit, and our staff. You couldn’t ask for a better location.”

The salvation army official image with some people image

Community Involvement

Salvation Army: Serving our Stockton Community

by Sandy Grupe Huber, Principal
March 26, 2021

The Salvation Army is an organization that is familiar and appreciated by many of us recognizing that the services that they provide to those in need are essential to our communities. The Salvation Army assists approximately 23 million Americans annually including many of our local Stocktonians.

At the end of last year, I had the pleasure of getting to know Lieutenant Mony Oregel (pictured above). Lieutenant Mony serves alongside her husband, Lieutenant Juan Oregel, at the Salvation Army Stockton Corps, located on Weber Avenue, right down the street from our Grupe Huber headquarters. I was fortunate enough to meet Lieutenant Mony this past holiday season when we, along with some of our University Park tenants, participated in their annual Holiday Toy and Food Drive. We felt that it was a wonderful opportunity for Grupe Huber to give back to our community in a tangible way. You can read more about our successful Food and Toy Drive on the University Park website here.

As in other communities across America, the Stockton Salvation Army has recently seen a tremendous increase in families needing support. The Stockton Corps reports a spike in over double the amount of people reaching out to them for aid, many of which had never requested food or assistance before the COVID-19 pandemic.

I am grateful for organizations like the Salvation Army, which provide services to our community of Stockton, that are truly life-altering and potentially life-saving. Services like disaster services, domestic violence services, food & nutrition programs, community recreation programs, and so many more are vital to our community. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to meet and know those serving our Stockton area and want to continue to champion them in the incredibly important work that they do.

Thank you to all of the generous donors, volunteers, and staff for helping the Salvation Army serve the most vulnerable members of our community. If you would like to learn more about the Salvation Army Stockton Corps or would like to donate, please click here.

Image of Patmon Company with some designs

Partner Spotlight

Patmon Company Inc.: A Committed Partnership

March 29, 2021

Grupe Huber is grateful that over the past few decades, we have been able to find incredible businesses to work with on many of our development endeavors. It is important when looking for companies to partner with, that your goals align and there is mutual trust amongst the parties. Patmon Company Inc. (PCI) is one of Stockton’s finest property management and development firms, and we are proud to be working with them.

Charles G. Patmon III (Pat), a lifelong resident of Stockton who began his construction career in 1965, founded the company while attending the University of the Pacific. (Go Tigers!) Pat and Fritz Grupe, Sandy’s Father, have a friendship that dates back to 1965!

Fast forward a few decades and today, Pat’s youngest son Jeff Patmon, and Fritz Grupe’s grandson, Fritz Huber, have a friendship of their own and just completed their first project working together last month, on a $34mm, 156 unit apartment complex.

PCI brought Grupe Huber onto the StoneBrier Apartment complex project in 2017 when they were searching for a company that would be able to function as the project’s construction administration team. Grupe Huber, alongside PCI, was able to work through the process of taking a project from bare land to apartments.

We’ve enjoyed getting to work with PCI on the recently completed StoneBrier Apartment complex in Stockton, CA, and are looking forward to beginning the next project, the Eight Mile Apartment complex with them this coming summer!

A poster with a cup and milk packet image and some words

Covid Care Package

October 12, 2020
by Sandy Grupe Huber, Principal

Our employees are truly special people.

When California’s lockdown order went into effect, Grupe Huber was classified as an essential service — which meant that while some of our office workers could remain at home, many of our employees would be risking their health to continue the vital projects that would move our local economy forward.

Even though it was frightening, and even though California was one of the first states affected by this terrible pandemic, Grupe Huber’s employees faced the challenge with grace and good humor. We all quickly pivoted to the new normal of restrictions, social distancing, and tape on the floor! … We even managed to wrap up important milestones, like moving into our new Spruce headquarters at University Park.

Kevin and I marveled at their can-do spirit and were moved by their willingness to assist each other and our community. Because of their hard work and the efforts of our management team, we did not lay off a single person because of COVID-19 — a true blessing at a time when the numbers of California’s unemployed people spiked to 4.8 million, with 75,000 losses in the construction industry alone.

We’ll never be able to convey the depth of our admiration for our employees. But in June, we certainly tried! We distributed beautifully wrapped care packages to each one of Grupe Huber’s employees that month. In the spirit of paying it forward, we specifically chose certain items that would also benefit our tenants and local businesses.

Each basket included:

A beautifully laminated copy of the company’s core values in English and Spanish, using our new brand colors and style to remind them of who Grupe Huber is.
A white ceramic mug, custom printed with our Grupe Huber logo
Starbucks Coffee beans from the store in the Marina Shopping Center
A sugar stir stick for their coffee
Hershey’s Almond Kisses – with wrappers that conveniently match our gracious gold logo brand color
Gift cards to Octavio’s in the Marina Shopping Center and the Olive Garden in the Quail Lakes Shopping Center to enjoy a stress free meal
A Quality of Peace card, highlighting one of the 60 qualities included in University Park’s International World Peace Rose Garden

It felt so good to share this tangible reminder of our admiration for our employees and to create a small bright spot for them. Grupe Huber continues to thrive thanks to their dedication, thoughtfulness, and service to our communities.

Cubical designs with some reflecting image in it

Feature

Our New Brand: Two Names, One Company, And a Family You Can Trust

September 29, 2020
By Kevin Huber, President & CEO

Over the past few months, you’ve been introduced to the Grupe Huber Company, formerly known as Grupe Commercial Company. Neither of these two names are new to you — and that’s the point. Over the years, both the Grupe and Huber families have built strong relationships in the Central Valley and beyond. We’re native Californians, and our work with the land and the people who live here means something to us. We created Grupe Huber Company so we could continue to build upon that foundation and develop a legacy that will carry all of us into a bright future.

The projects Grupe Huber takes on are designed to strengthen our communities, enrich the lives of our employees, and return healthy profits to our shareholders and investors. We are continuing to develop commercial projects, expanding upon our existing 1.5 million square feet of office, retail and storage projects. In addition, with the experience of our leadership team, we are adding new residential opportunities to our portfolio — but we’re not going to build just for the sake of building. There’s a real meaning and purpose behind everything our company tackles.

A little more than a year ago, we sat down and really began to think through the core values of this new company. These reflect who we are as a business, but they’re much more than that. They reflect who we are as people, too.

Integrity. We will always strive to do what’s right, even when it’s not easy. That means no cutting corners, no sacrificing quality for quantity, and nothing built solely for profit.

Invested. We promise that we will use our financial strength and experience to create a better world. Our projects will benefit our loved ones, our employees, our tenants, and our communities.

Resourceful. Where other people see problems, we see opportunities. In an upcoming University Park newsletter, you’ll read about how the lake at University Park came to be. That was a logistical problem that became a source of pride and beauty. It’s a small example sampled from many years of work, but it speaks to how we approach and solve challenges.

Quality. If you know us, you know that we don’t do anything by half. We have a proven track record of execution and success, and we create projects that are built to last.

Service. We will leave this world better than we found it. That starts with treating our tenants and customers with respect and always overdelivering on their expectations.

These five core values may sound simple, but they give us a blueprint for our projects and for our future. Every single thing we do is designed to fit within these values, from the way we communicate with you in our newsletter to the way we work with municipalities on new design plans to the way we show appreciation to our tenants. What you see is what you get with Grupe Huber. We’ll always be genuine and transparent with you.

Our new company has a new home, too, and that home is a reflection of what we do. It’s in the Spruce Building at University Park, a 1929 structure that Sandy and our team of partners restored with a lot of care and attention. We could have put up a new building so we could start fresh — but that wouldn’t have been us. Spruce has great bones, great history, and a new mission and purpose. It will be solid for generations to come. You could say that it’s the perfect metaphor for Grupe Huber.

Our company name may be new, but we’re still the same people you’ve worked with for years. Grupe Huber is two names you know, one company, and a family you can trust.

Picture of a Grupe Huber with a house image

The Beauty Of

Restoration: How We Spruced Up Our Historic Office Space

September 28, 2020
By Sandy Grupe Huber, Principal

When we began searching for a home for Grupe Huber, we felt strongly that it should be to University Park. Our company has been managing this 102 acre redevelopment project for nearly 20 year and we have developed emotional and practical ties to the land and community. . The campus has a unique air of calm and peace that we wanted to instill in our own employees and visitors. We could have started from scratch with new construction, but a 1929 Tudor Revival called the Spruce Building called to us.

Spruce was one of the buildings used during University Park’s previous history as the Insane Asylum of California, which was established in 1851 in the midst of the turbulent Gold Rush era. When the asylum — later the Stockton Developmental Center — closed down in 1995, Spruce was designated a historic landmark.

But she was in poor shape by the time we reached her. Previous generations had used asbestos. Her stairways were crumbling and dangerous. But the bones of the building, with its solid lines of poured-in-place concrete that are cool to the touch, were beautiful. We decided Spruce was the perfect place to create a welcoming new home.

Spruce was more than a renovation project. Previously, our teams had been divided between two locations in Stockton. But once Spruce was complete, our employees would move into the building and work together for the first time as members of the newly-formed Grupe Huber Company. Spruce would be the backdrop for the creation of a new company culture, so it was especially important to me to create an inspiring workspace that drew upon University Park’s beauty and natural resources.

As with so many projects Kevin and I have tackled over the years, a great challenge led to an amazing opportunity. The original building had a very closed feeling and low ceilings. Two staircases bookended the structure, so it seemed as if one could enter the building and walk up the side staircase and never see anyone on the first floor. It was a bit claustrophobic, and we needed to somehow add air conditioning and duct work to the space.

Kevin asked, “Why not open the first floor to the second floor?” Not only did this modification allow us to add critical infrastructure, it added beauty, volume, and connectivity. When we added the chandelier that now crowns the entry space the entire building seemed to come together.

We wanted to draw on nature as much as possible for the interior of the building and bring University Park’s magical scenery inside. Spruce’s picture windows are the perfect frames for God’s creative genius. We used glass in every door in the building so employees and visitors can look from one side of Spruce all the way through to the lake. The horizontal lines in our concrete walls were poured in place, and when the concrete meshes with the wood in open doors it’s like a history puzzle.

I walked through the campus and took a series of pictures that served as the inspiration for the building’s palette. If a paint color or piece of furniture couldn’t be matched to the colors in the photos, it didn’t make it inside. We have a rustic wood-plank and tile entry and vintage tile in the restroom that reflects the Spanish influence of Spruce’s roof tiles. The white concrete walls mirror the clouds in the sky, while the dusty green workstations are patterned after the tule grass around the lake. The overall effect is a seamless transition from the welcoming inside of the building to the verdant landscaping and cool shade outside.

When I think about the majestic oak tree that stands watch over the building, a tree that has likely stood for over 300 years, I think about everything it has weathered and witnessed. It was here with the tule elk and wolves. It’s such a privilege to be able to gaze at this towering giant every day and create a space that honors it and our native landscape.

When the pandemic began, Grupe Huber was classified as essential, which meant we could work from home yet still come to the office when needed. Masks, hand sanitizer and tape on the floor are additions we never planned for, but we are glad to have them. Having our office feel safe and comfortable during this time has been critical. Our employees have taken to the space, even going so far as to name the visiting geese outside Debbie’s window (Milly and Billy are quite the pair). The fact that this is our first cohesive space, and that it has been so welcoming during this period of upheaval, has given me great peace of mind.

I’ve never appreciated our team’s can-do spirit more than I did on moving -week! It was difficult, but accomplished with grace, caution, and cheerfulness. Each person carried their load creatively.

Of course, Spruce was a true collaboration, and I would like to acknowledge the partners who made this tremendous effort possible. Our in-house team tackled the planning and conceptualizing. Longtime partner Oak Valley Community Bank provided construction financing. Tom Bowe Architects handled the main design work and secured the approval of the City of Stockton Cultural Heritage Board. The Haggerty Construction team cheerfully provided creative solutions to every obstacle they were up against. For the finishing touches, Grover Landscaping blended Spruce seamlessly into its park-like surroundings, while MTA Inspired Spaces brought the interior workspaces to life.

We were so lucky to bring our goddaughter’s husband, Paul Whoel, on board as a special consultant. An architect with design firm DGA, Paul was working on remodels of similar buildings in midtown Sacramento. He guided us through completed projects, providing plenty of inspiration.

Artist Erin Elizabeth’s Quality Of Peace paintings are bold, modern, and stunning, and their titles – Love and Respect – certainly give us something to aspire to. Jared Rusten created a custom oak conference table that sits on an antique planer rescued from a historic building in downtown Stockton. The planer is one of many features up-cycled from historic spaces; in some ways, the entire history of our region contributed to this building.

The chalkboard in the cafe space is bordered by a door from an old farmhouse in Ripon. This month, the chalkboard features an award-winning Inspirational Message of Peace written by a student at Hamilton Middle School. We think Gino’s message is both art and instruction as we reflect on Spruce, which began with the idea for a happy home for our new company.

BELIEVE IN SEED

We want peace!

We need peace!

World leaders hear us please!

People of all color, race, and creed

must come together like Martin Luther King Jr.

and Mahatma Gandhi preached.

Peace can be achieved!

By planting a seed

Just believe . . . .

– Gino B., 8th Grade, Hamilton

Grand Opening image of storquest self store

Grand Opening of Modesto Self-Storage (StorQuest)

September 27, 2020

Modesto’s Newest Storage Facility Is a Classic: Grupe Huber Revamps Mid-Century Building Into State-of-the-Art Storage Facility

Grupe Huber’s newest project might cause longtime Modesto residents to do a double take. The new StorQuest storage facility at 1324 Coldwell Avenue is a revamp of an existing 1954 building, allowing for a unique mix of solidly constructed mid-century architecture with state-of-the-art climate control, security, and energy efficiency.

“The historic building features poured-in-place concrete with brick shear, large concrete columns, and very solid trusses,” said Grupe Huber Vice President Fritz Huber. “It is very unique, well-built, and beautiful on the inside, and we wanted to leverage that.”

The $6 million rehab in a downtown location close to Modesto Junior College was welcomed by the City of Modesto, as well.

“Grupe Huber had a great team on board from the beginning of the project,” said Oscar Diaz, the City of Modesto’s chief building official for building safety and neighborhood preservation. “The City of Modesto strives to provide as much guidance as possible, but having an experienced designer is critical to the success of a development project. While the building was not officially a registered landmark, the City always appreciates the innovative reuse of old, classic buildings. It had been under-used for many years, so we are glad to see that the building will once again be occupied.”

Besides being well-built, the existing structure offered other benefits: The size of the building allowed for larger-than-usual individual storage units — 113 square feet compared to the average 80-95 square feet.

The facility will be operated by StorQuest Self-Storage and carry the national chain’s name. It offers an array of high-tech features, including:

100% climate-controlled facility
An average unit size of 113 square feet — up to 29 percent larger than a typical unit
Camera-monitored covered RV and boat parking stalls
Solar trickle chargers for RV and boat units to ensure long battery life
Individually alarmed units
Heavy digital security throughout the facility with no blackout areas
24-hour remotely monitored security system
Solar-powered system for net zero efficiency throughout the facility

“The Central Valley has been largely underserved when it comes to new self-storage development, and we wanted to create something beneficial and unique for Modesto and the surrounding communities,” said Grupe Huber Vice President Fritz Huber. “The existing building was exceptionally well-constructed and gave us a chance to create a unit mix that is right for this market while offering rates on par with non-climatized facilities.”

Modernizing the building for net zero efficiency was an important step, Huber said, given the facility’s climate-control capabilities. Even when temperatures skyrocket into the 100+ range, the temperature at Modesto’s new StorQuest units will never exceed 80 degrees. Plus, steady solar power means RV and boat users can keep their batteries charged and ready for anytime use via trickle charge outlets supplied at no extra cost to the tenants.

The facility opened on August 17, 2020. Ready to rent a climate-controlled unit? Rates range from $76-$215 per month. For more information, click here.

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