The TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read) of this month's issue:

• It's a Wrap! Fremont Restaurant Week 2023
• Fremont’s Industrial Sector Continues to Show Strength
• Fremont Springs into STEAM
• Inside the World of Retail & Urban Place Management
• Affordable, Accurate Testing & Diagnostics With My Care Labs

It's a Wrap! Fremont Restaurant Week 2023

The City and Fremont Chamber wrapped up a highly successful inaugural Fremont Restaurant Week last month. The event included over 40 restaurants across the City ranging from longstanding community anchors to some of Fremont's hottest and newest establishments. Restaurant Week served as a celebration Fremont's diverse cultures and culinary offerings and provided critical support for small business owners during what is typically a slower time for their businesses. The overwhelming majority of participating restaurants attracted new customers, increased revenue, and widened their brand awareness. Stay tuned for Fremont Restaurant Week 2024 by subscribing to updates. Take a look at our visual summary of the 10-day event below.

Fremont’s Industrial Sector Continues to Show Strength

Fremont has long been a regional industrial powerhouse, with manufacturing and technology tenants enticed by the City’s expansive supply of flexible industrial spaces. These facilities provide the open floor area, utilities, and clear heights needed to support complex operations for tenants across a growing array of advanced industries.

While statewide commercial real estate values have faced headwinds stemming from pandemic-influenced behavioral shifts and higher interest rates, industrial has continued to be a bright spot in the economy. Fremont is no exception: all told, a whopping 10 development sites totaling 22 buildings and over 2.5 million square feet of flex industrial space have been approved or are under review.

It is important to note that the timelines for approval, construction, and delivery of these projects will vary widely. However, having a robust development pipeline will ensure Fremont continues to provide modern facilities to support the needs of its advanced manufacturing and R&D companies. A healthy pipeline will also ensure that investment and development activity continue through the ebbs and flows of macroeconomic cycles, providing support and stability for Fremont’s economy and the City’s tax base.

Notably, the locations of proposed projects span from the industrial areas of South Fremont/Warm Springs to Bayside Technology Park all the way up to Ardenwood Technology Park, providing strong geographic coverage while spreading opportunities throughout Fremont. Some projects we are excited about include the 3-building industrial campus being pursued by Ares Management and Scannell Properties, dubbed Tech Center @ 880, and a six-building, ~475,000 square foot project by 9^th Street and Clarion Partners in Fremont’s Bayside Technology Park. Both projects were approved last year and are expected to break ground in the coming months.

Fremont’s industry base buoyed our economy during the pandemic and helped shield the City from steep losses in revenue experienced in other communities, allowing the City to maintain a high level of service with fewer impacts. As we look ahead, we will continue to support Fremont's strong industrial market and national leadership in advanced manufacturing.

Fremont Springs into STEAM

Fremont is abuzz with building a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) pipeline for all ages! On March 29, Fremont Unified School District held "Spring into STEAM" sponsored by Seagate and hosted by the City of Fremont, featuring fun activities, giveaways, the 5th Grade Science Fair Showcase, and more to expand awareness of programs that could lead to fulfilling careers in STEAM fields. That same night, Ohlone College hosted the Women in STEAM Mentoring Dinner in celebration of International Women's History Month, where community college students got a chance to network with professional women in STEAM fields, receive advice on academic and career decisions, and hear from inspiring speakers on embracing equity and uniqueness as women in STEAM.

Inside the World of Retail & Urban Place Management

Every spring, Innovating Commerce Serving Communities (ICSC) presents ICSC@Monterey, a gathering of industry leaders and dealmakers who share insights into the ever-changing world of retail and help shape thriving retail communities in the region. Fremont is heavily invested in supporting our burgeoning Downtown area and business districts across the city. The Economic Development team met with key retail stakeholders to promote Fremont's business-friendly environment and opportunities for sustained retail growth.

On March 31, the Fremont team attended the West Coast Urban District Forum in downtown San Jose to glean best practices for urban place management through public and private partnerships and business improvement districts. As Fremont's Downtown welcomes more businesses, residents, and events, we're focused on setting up our stakeholders for success in building an inviting, safe, and dynamic Downtown from the ground up.

Affordable, Accurate Testing & Diagnostics With My Care Labs

The Fremont team paid a visit to My Care Labs, a lab testing service provider founded during the pandemic to provide rapid and low-cost COVID-19 testing services, often used in healthcare settings, schools, and other large organizations to help everyone stay safe. My Care Labs is growing their footprint in Fremont, and will soon expand their testing and diagnostic capabilities this spring.

Aura Skin-N-Beauty is the latest business to open in Downtown Fremont, a beauty hub for all things skincare and beauty. Come to the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony this Wednesday at 5pm for raffle prizes and grand opening-exclusive discounts!   3658 Capitol Ave Unit D

Come check out Renegade in the Centerville district, a new cafe venture from the operators of Devout Coffee in Niles. Their coffee shop and carpentry expertise is evident in the beautiful interior of the former Slapface location, with lots of space to gather with friends or hunker down with a laptop.   37324 Fremont Blvd

April 12 - Aura Skin and Beauty Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting @ 5pm.

April 19 - State of the Economy with CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma @ 11:30am-1:30pm. Register here.

April 29 - Mission San Jose Art Mosaic @ 11am-4pm featuring local art and crafts vendors on Ellsworth St. and Washington Blvd. Interested vendors should reach out to the Mission San Jose Chamber at info@msjchamber.org.

May 4 - Economic Development Advisory Commission Regular Meeting. Agenda and meeting details will be available online.

Every Sunday - Irvington Farmers' Market 9am-2pm. Seasonal highlight: local honey!

NorCal Small Business Development Center offers FREE virtual trainings for small business owners. Click here for the full calendar.

Images from Fremont Restaurant Week 2023

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