ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VF Outdoor, a subsidiary of VF Corporation (NYSE:VFC), opened today its new corporate headquarters in Alameda, Calif., which is home to some of the company’s leading brands: The North Face, ® JanSport® and lucy®. Marking the completion of one of the largest construction projects in VF Corporation’s history, the 14-acre campus embodies the brands’ outdoor ethos and commitment to their associates, community and the environment. VF Outdoor is now one of the top ten largest private sector employers in the City of Alameda, housing more than 470 employees at the new campus.
“I’m thrilled to welcome our VF Outdoor associates to our new home in Alameda. Today culminates nearly four years of thoughtful design and planning. Our new campus reflects our team’s unique culture and passion for the outdoors,” said Steve Rendle, Group President of VF Outdoor and Action Sports Americas. “VF Outdoor includes many of VF’s fastest-growing businesses and the co-location of the JanSport, lucy and The North Face brands at one central campus will lead to even greater product innovation, collaboration and business growth.”
“In planning the new headquarters, we drew heavily on employee input, relying on a group of employee-led taskforces to consult on the campus’ design,” Rendle added. “As a result, several features were incorporated in the campus, including:
- A 1,000 square-foot fitness center and outdoor training area
- On-campus bike shop and equipment gear lockers
- Café featuring healthy and organic food options that will host cooking classes and chef demonstrations
- Community vegetable garden for employee harvest, which will also provide fresh produce for the café and
- Emphasis on ‘bringing the outside in’ by maximizing the amount of natural sunlight at indoor work spaces.”
The new headquarters was built to foster collaboration and innovation across the brands that now operate out of the Alameda campus. Specific attention was paid to details that would break down the boundaries between individual brands and encourage employees to share ideas and resources. In addition to a centrally located café that will bring together employees from JanSport, lucy and The North Face at meals, the “Yurt Advanced Product Lab” will serve all three brands as a hub for cross-brand collaboration that leverages the individual strengths of each brand.
“At VF, we focus heavily on maximizing resources to develop new products that will exceed our customers’ expectations. As a result, we push the boundaries of collaboration and research,” said Eric Wiseman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of VF Corporation. “The VF Outdoor Alameda headquarters exemplifies our dedication to providing cutting-edge work environments that allow our associates to pool their passion and expertise to create the next generation of industry-leading apparel, footwear and outdoor equipment that our customers have come to expect from us.”
The campus will also include several sustainability features that align with the company’s dedication to outdoor preservation and environmental responsibility. In addition to being built in accordance with LEED Gold standards, the campus generates 100 percent of its anticipated electricity needs through a combination of photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbines. Additionally, a state-of-the-art indirect-direct evaporative cooling (IDEC) HVAC system circulates 100 percent fresh air without the use of emission-causing coolants. The campus also features electric vehicle charging stations and is conveniently located near public transit to encourage associates to consider alternative modes of transportation to and from the new headquarters.
“We are thrilled to welcome the VF Outdoor family to our Alameda community. The JanSport, lucy and The North Face brands’ commitment to sustainability and passion for the outdoors mirror those of our local residents,” said Marie Gilmore, mayor of Alameda. “We look forward to the contributions VF Outdoor will make to the local business community and economic well being of our city.”
The 160,000 square-foot headquarters is located at 2701 Harbor Bay Parkway in Alameda. VF Outdoor worked with several key partners on the project: San Francisco-based interior designer Rapt Studio, Alameda-based developer SRM Associates, San Francisco-based exterior designer FME Architecture & Design, Pleasanton-based general contractor J.M. O’Neill and landscape architect April Philips Design Works Inc. of San Rafael, Calif.
About VF Corporation
VF Corporation is a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel with more than 30 brands. The company’s top six brands are The North Face®, Wrangler®, Timberland®, Vans®, Lee® and Nautica®; other brands include 7 For All Mankind®, Bulwark®, Eagle Creek®, Eastpak®, Ella Moss®, JanSport®, Kipling®, lucy®, Majestic®, Napapijri®, Red Kap®, Reef®, Riders®, Splendid® and Smartwool®.
About JanSport
JanSport, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1967 in Seattle, Washington, by three pioneers in the outdoor industry. Though the Company began by manufacturing and marketing world-class outdoor backpacks, today the product offering includes technical outdoor gear, daypacks, travel gear, and collegiate decorated apparel, sold in sporting goods stores, college bookstores, department stores, and specialty and boutique retail locations throughout the world. The Brand has the spirit of fun and discovery, represented in the Brand tagline: Discover Freedom. For more information, visit www.jansport.com.
About lucy
lucy activewear designs and sells fashion forward performance apparel for athletic women. Over the past ten years, the lucy brand has grown from lucy.com, an online-only retailer, to a national bricks-and-mortar chain operating 58 stores. In August of 2007, VF Corporation, a global leader in lifestyle branded apparel, completed its acquisition of lucy activewear, Inc. As a result, lucy is now a wholly owned subsidiary of VF Corporation. www.lucy.com
About The North Face
The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in Alameda, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers, and major outdoor specialty retail chains. For more information, visit www.thenorthface.com.