After five long years of the West Country's renowned civic and community deliberation on what best to do with an antiquated, starting-to-be delapidated apple packing warehouse district, walking distance to the east of the small city of Sebastopol's quirky little downtown, all eyes are on the wine country's most ambitious regional development in recent years.
The 12-acre former Barlow Apple Cannery is busting out at the seams of a $23.5 million project touting itself a the first business community in the U.S. to focus on connecting customers not only with products and the people who make them, but also with the production itself.
This bold, expansive new adaptation of a warehouse district that provided work for generations is not just a marketplace but a creative center for regional food, wine and art.
Taylor Maid Farms is one of the first buisnesses up and running. All around, some 16 additional buildings are starting to take shape as breweries, distilleries, olive pressing operations, winery tasting rooms, bakeries and restaurants open their doors through in anticipation of
The Barlow being fully bustling by fall 2013.
Owner Barney Aldridge clearly agreed to play ball with the people of Sebastopol after brief, original ideas for his substantial parcel of the old apple packing district were rejected. In place of a proposed multi-use development the likes of Santana Row in San Jose, or on a smaller scale, Theatre Square in Petaluma and Windsor Town Square and other suggested transformations of the site, community leaders and city council members tirelessly pushed for a wine and food destination in which local growers and producers could be accommodated while providing a regional draw for visitors.
Closure in 2004 of Sebastopol's last major apple juice and sauce processor, the Barlow Company, left 54 acres of outdated warehouses and vacant land straddling Highway 12 along Sebastopol Avenue.
Aldridge, a former mortgage executive and team haven't stopped at the leasing of this industrial-chic, new take on warehouse space. Wandering around the still-being-landscaped acreage, a bocce ball court, gathering spots and fire pits are taking shape in an environment designed for its business community and customers to gather and enjoy the bounty of the Barlow.
There's nothing fake about Sebastopol and the Barlow is no exception. Farmers, foodies, butchers, bakers and brewers are able to pull up to the curbside of their new spacious facilities.
Old signage has been preserved, commemorating the heritage of the district. Given that the population of Sebastopol is a mere seven-and-a-half thousand people, the Barlow is going to have to depend upon significant agritourism. A bold, brave move to redevelop on such a large scale, but, hopefully, the timing is right to attract food, wine, beer and organic product appreciators from neighboring communities as well as farther afield. Check it out yourself later this summer when more of these dynamic new attractions are open for business. In the meantime, if you're out and about in the Sebastopol area, take a stroll around the Barlow and be amongst the first to sample its tasty wares.
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