Fremont Chamber of Commerce

Fremont, California is a city that has achieved nationwide recognition for a quality of life that business, industry and families all seek. It is a community that is rich in its culture and history, and manages to maintain a delicate balance of small-town charm even while experiencing amazing growth as a major high-tech center. It is the fourth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area in population (203,600) and with an area of 93 square miles, the second largest in size. Recent statistics confirm the Association of Bay Area Governments’ projection that Fremont will be one of the fastest growing locations in the region in the next 20 years. Fremont has a young population, with an average age of 33.37, and it has a higher than average mean household income of $81,400 (projected for 2000) and a median household income of $71,815 (Bay Area Economics, 4/99).

In 1999, the National Public Health and Hospital Institute ranked Fremont #1 among the nation’s largest cities for its healthy environment in which to raise children. Families in Fremont will find the best of suburban living--abundant social, cultural and recreational activities and facilities, and excellent public and private schools, with colleges and universities in close proximity.

Businesses will find a diverse and strong base of suppliers and support services, a location that provides ease of transportation and distribution, locally, nationally and globally, and an educated workforce. As of January 1999, 56,571,000 square feet of non-residentially zoned land had been developed, and another 29,420,000 square feet are projected to be developed by the time the city reaches its planned buildout. The dollar value of new non-residential construction in fiscal years 97/98 and 98/99 exceeded $407,000,000. Businesses interviewed over the past five years continue to affirm that not only would they again select Fremont as a place to locate or expand, but they would also recommend it to others.

Fremont’s history and culture can be traced back to the establishment of Mission San Jose, built in 1797 and located strategically on the routes that connected Los Angeles with the Bay Area, San Francisco and the Mission Pass to the gold fields. The mission thrived because of this location, fertile land and abundant water. In 1996 the Bicentennial of the establishment of Mission San Jose was celebrated.

Such famous pioneer personalities as Jedidiah Smith, Kit Carson and John C. Fremont were visitors to the mission. According to legend, John C. Fremont was so taken with the mission area that he attempted to purchase it for his home after mission secularization by the Mexican government. Although the mission fell into disuse in the late 1840s, the Mission San Jose district became a hub for travelers heading in all directions. Today, Mission San Jose continues to draw visitors from around the world, charming tourists and local citizens alike.

Eight towns sprang up around the mission just prior to California’s admission to statehood in 1850, and in 1853 the eight communities created Washington Township. Five of the original eight Washington Township communities eventually became present-day Fremont: Centerville, Irvington, Niles, Mission San Jose and Warm Springs.

Niles made history in 1869 when the last of the tracks connecting the transcontinental railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific were laid. Present-day history buffs can relive this momentous occasion by visiting the railroad museum located in Niles.

Niles is famous for its historic antiques shopping district, Wildflower Festival, Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum and Edison Theater, its annual Antique Fair, and the Niles Canyon Railway. Charlie Chaplin and Broncho Billy made movies here between 1912 and 1916.

The region continued to beckon industry and business throughout the first half of the 20th century. In the early 1950s, facing the specter of unplanned and uncontrolled growth, local citizens moved to protect the rustic charm and atmosphere in which they lived, and the five districts voted to incorporate as a city. In 1956 Fremont became what was then California’s third largest city in geographical area. Fremont incorporated as a general law city, having a council/city manager form of government, with four elected council members and one elected mayor. The city was named in honor of John C. Fremont, soldier and explorer. Within a very few months following incorporation, citizens approved a master plan for development, laying the groundwork for today’s well-planned city, a city that preserves the distinctive character of its original five districts, yet creates a unified plan for the future.

A city only 50 years old, Fremont continually wins statewide awards and accolades for the many qualities and features that make life in Fremont so attractive. Known as "The Most Kid-Friendly City in the Bay Area," Fremont—the 98th largest city in the U.S.--was recently named the best city in America to raise children after a two-year research project ranked the 100 largest cities nationwide on several key factors that create a healthy environment for children. Fremont had the fewest occurrences of child poverty levels, fatherless households, teenage birth rate, incidences of low birth weight and infant mortality. In another portion of the same study, Fremont was also rated the second-best city in the U.S. in overall health. Fremont’s high educational attainment and per capita income, plus low unemployment and crime levels resulted in this ranking. Is it any wonder that in 1997, the National Civic League named the City of Fremont as one of the year’s top ten "All America Cities"? This award recognizes civic achievement and grassroots, community problem solving, which Fremont has demonstrated over and over again in its young life.

Fremont’s average age of 33.7 years is young compared to surrounding areas, and the population is well-educated: 64% of Fremont’s adults attended college and 39.4% graduated, exceeding the percentage of college graduates of both Alameda County and the State of California. The public school district students consistently rank above state and national averages. Sixty-eight percent of the employed population are in management, professional specialties, technical, sales or administrative support positions, even though the largest number of jobs in the city are provided by manufacturing.

Fremont has an ethnically diverse population, thereby providing excellent opportunities to utilize cultural differences as learning experiences within the school curriculum. Fremont Unified School Sistrict has received national recognition for its English as a second language program, which includes programs in both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. Fremont is also home to the California School for the Blind and the California School for the Deaf. Local businesses provide the worksites for internships of these students, creating a heightened sensitivity to and understanding of the special challenges and capabilities of those having sight or hearing disabilities. Public meetings and community cultural events are commonly signed by interpreters for the hearing impaired.

Fremont residents are active--politically, socially and physically. With an amazing selection of recreational activities available both within and without the city limits, one finds few couch potatoes in Fremont. Youth team sports such as soccer and Little League keep the playing fields throughout town booked daily, and there are over 60 adult sports leagues in the city. With a 434-acre Central Park and 48 community parks, 4 community centers, sports facilities including an ice rink, and 16,500 acres of preserved open space with miles and miles of trails, there is something for everyone. Ohlone College’s Gary Soren Smith Center for the Fine and Performing Arts opened in 1995, providing a permanent home for the Fremont Symphony and the facilities to bring world-class entertainment to Fremont on a regular basis. When it comes to seeing democracy in action, the Fremont planning commission, city council and school board meetings are arenas in which community issues are addressed and resolved, with residents actively participating in the governance of their community.

Five years ago Fortune Magazine declared the San Francisco Bay Area the best region in the country for business, and the second best in the world, and it still holds true today. Fortune cited three principal reasons for the attractiveness of the Bay Area: quality of lifestyle, high concentration of intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and proximity to the rapidly growing Pacific Rim economy. Fortune also attributed the region’s strength to its constituent parts -- San Jose and Silicon Valley for their technology, San Francisco for its banking and finances, and Oakland for being "the region’s industrial engine room." These attributes have been instrumental in the amazing growth Fremont is experiencing.

Since Fremont’s incorporation, it has emerged as one of the most eclectic business communities in Northern California. At one time Fremont was an agricultural center for the Bay Area; now, it is a top contender for high tech businesses expanding their bases from Silicon Valley and San Francisco areas, bringing thousands of new jobs in research and development, marketing and sales, assembly and manufacturing. Fremont’s high tech growth has earned its inclusion as an official member of the communities that make up ‘Silicon Valley.’ The spirit of the entrepreneur is aflame in the region, and four of fifteen awards given to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs last year were awarded to CEO’s of Fremont-based companies.

New construction in Fremont is at one of its highest historical levels. Building permit valuation for fiscal year 98/99 was $247,763,279 for new construction, $46 million of which was commercial and industrial construction. In 97/98, $151.5 million of new commercial and industrial construction occurred.

This growth has had a demonstrated impact on the vacancy rates. As Fremont’s desirability has grown, vacancies have dropped, and at the end of 1st quarter 1999, the industrial vacancy rate was 6%, R&D slightly more than 8%, and warehouse just under 3%. Office vacancies were the lowest at 2%.

There are a number of resources besides those noted in Fortune’s article that have contributed to the growing number of firms selecting Fremont as their location or expansion sites. They include:

Development Potential: Fremont has a total of approximately 18.8 million square feet of industrial space, with ample land still available for development. Most sites have off-site utility connections already in place. Low-lying land and highly developed drainage systems also aid in industrial development. The major industrial areas of Fremont are planned, campus-style parks. Over 100 business and industrial centers and parks are scattered throughout Fremont. Three industrial zoning categories allow a full range of industrial uses, including some which allow large-scale retail uses. Land prices, and the cost of doing business in Fremont, are extremely competitive to other Bay Area communities as well. Fremont’s designation as a Recycling Market Development Zone, and the availability of industrial development bond financing are further incentives to business to locate in Fremont.

Permitting, Processing and Technological Assistance: The City of Fremont has consciously adopted policies and processes in the last several years designed to expedite and ease the development process. These elemental changes to the way the City does business with business, have created a reputation of business friendly and business helpful. For instance, the City has a certified citywide master EIR (Environmental Impact Report) for the General Plan. One of the main benefits of this is that most industrial and commercial projects will be "pre-cleared" for environmental review of cumulative impacts. This means that the review process can be significantly shorter in Fremont.

Fremont also has a OneStop Permit Center. Each project is assigned a coordinator who facilitates it through the entire review process. For each project, the City assembles an interdepartmental team that includes representatives from all pertinent departments. A Rapid Response Team and customized review time lines for customers with specialized needs cuts permit issuance time by up to 50% to help customers meet start-up deadlines or to maintain a market share during expansion. Fax submittal and issuance of routine building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing, roof and pest control permits also expedites processing. And, if you have a permit in process, you can access a status report online via the City’s web site. Since implementing these processes, 98% of simple tenant improvement projects are reviewed and permitted over the counter with same-day turnaround, and the design review and permit processing time for most large-size tenant improvements with less than 200,000 square feet is only 5 to 10 days. And, as an example of the City’s commitment to smooth out the bumps between business and government, local firefighters have become liaisons to the business community, having "key accounts" assigned for annual contact. Instead of just completing routine inspections, firefighters now serve as the conduit to communicate any other issues, needs, or planned expansions of businesses to appropriate city departments for handling. The City also initiated a collaborative program with shopping centers to provide vacancy information to retail tenants, called Opportunity Fremont.

In addition to the Chamber of Commerce, other resources are readily available to assist business including Manex (the Manufacturing Extension Center), BARTA (the Bay Area Research and Technology Alliance), and EBSBDC (East Bay Small Business Development Center), all located in Fremont, plus a large number of other agencies providing assistance in permitting, business development and technology transfer.