Aurora Algae, which uses algae to create food and biofuel, has struck a deal to move its headquarters and laboratories from Alameda to Hayward, the company said Tuesday.
The company moved into its new offices Tuesday. Aurora Algae is occupying 35,000 square feet at the former headquarters of Cholestech.
Aurora undertook the relocation in a quest to expand its operations. The company said it vacated 20,000 square feet in Alameda. The Hayward lease was arranged by the Oakland offices of commercial realty firms CB Richard Ellis and Gateway Commercial Real Estate.
“The size and layout of our new Hayward facility is better suited to the ramp-up of our commercial operations from both an administrative and algae-processing standpoint,” said Greg Bafalis, Aurora’s chief executive.
Aurora Algae has developed a commercial-scale system for sustainable, algae-based product development. The company’s algae strains produce an array of items.
Among the products: biodiesel, omega-3 fatty acids and protein-rich nutrients. Each of these can target different uses in the energy, nutrition, pharmaceutical, and animal and fish feed industries.
“The reason Aurora Algae moved is based on a couple of key factors, including the ability to have all of its California employees and operations in a single-story building,” Bafalis said. In addition, the expansive lab and production facilities “will support the extraction and conversion processes of the company’s algae products.”
To nourish its algae ponds, the company uses carbon dioxide emissions from factories.
“The company is taking over space where Cholestech had a nice corporate office and very updated laboratories,” said Bob Ferraro, a senior vice president with CB Richard Ellis.
The new Hayward location, at 3325 Investment Blvd., is a short distance from the San Mateo Bridge.
“Aurora is close to UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and the biotech hubs in Emeryville and Alameda,” Ferraro said.
The offices that Aurora exited, at 1301 Harbor Bay Parkway in Alameda, might not be empty for very long. If that’s how things turn out, that would be a welcome development for the commercial property market in the East Bay.
“We’re already getting a lot of interest in the site,” said James Bennett, a broker with commercial realty firm Kidder Matthews. “It’s very high quality and attractive lab space.”
Aurora has 62 workers worldwide, including 40 in the new Hayward offices. The company expects to keep its employee levels at roughly the current levels for the near future.
Aurora has raised at least $20 million in venture capital funding.
“The new headquarters remain in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, which has become the global center of clean technology finance, research and development, and adoption,” Bafalis said.
Contact George Avalos at 925-977-8477.
