The Peerless Building at 1755 Broadway St. in Downtown Fresno will host a grand opening Thursday.

published on June 4, 2018 - 1:39 PM

Written by The Business Journal Staff

Share

Tweet

LinkedIn

Email 0 shares

The Peerless Building, Downtown Fresno’s newest renovation project, will host a grand opening art show Thursday to celebrate its first tenants.

The 30,000 square-foot building at 1755 Broadway St. was originally owned by the Peerless Pump Co., which has been around for nearly 90 years.

The building has been renovated both inside and out, with original artifacts including manufacturing equipment and windows remaining “as a nod to the past, while aiming to inspire the future,” according to a news release.

Fresno real estate agent and investor Nader Assemi renovated the building as a home for commercial, industrial and retail operations, or a “mixed-use space for modern day creators.”

“We are providing a place where creative entrepreneurs can thrive. We found the right space, and then combined stimulating elements like brick, concrete, wood, and natural light to inspire and fuel innovation,” Assemi said. “Our job as the developer was to create the venue, but the tenants will ultimately make it what it is.”

The first tenant is Fresno-based Blue Dolphin Design & Engineering and the firm’s nonprofit product incubator, The Pi Shop. The business is occupying 11,000 square feet of the Peerless Building.

Blue Dolphin Design & Engineering CEO Mark Jackson said “My endeavors have always thrived in an environment filled with creativity and innovation. Because of the inspired creative movement that has been smoldering in downtown Fresno, I was excited about the possibility of expanding my team’s efforts to the Peerless Building.”

The grand opening art show will be held June 7 during downtown ArtHop festivities, and will include a reception for Blue Dolphin and Pi Shop from 4-5 p.m., and an art show from 5-7:30 p.m. that will showcase the work of more than 40 local artists.

The Peerless Building features more than 20 spaces within its brick walls, with an aim of attracting “food-ready storefronts to workshops with manufacturing in mind.”