Catalyst settles into new Downtown Fresno digs

Source: The Business Journal
Written by Chuck Harvey

When staff at Catalyst Marketing Co. started planning a move into the old Pearson building at 1466 Van Ness Ave. in Fresno, it was uncertain whether the 7,400 square-foot building could be converted into a modern advertising and marketing agency. Hallways chopped up the interior and a low ceiling made for a cramped feel in the single-level structure. Also, outdoor lighting was limited. Now, just one year after plans kicked in, the facility is open, hallways are gone, doors have been removed on most offices, the ceiling is much higher and skylights help to illuminate the whole building. It required a lot of work, but the effort paid off for both Catalyst Marketing and the City of Fresno, which encourages restoration of existing buildings and classic homes. The city can boast of a beautifully restored building and Catalyst Marketing has an attractive, comfortable and useful building for its employees. And it is more usable than the previous Catalyst location at 970 Van Ness Ave. in the old Rowell Building. Stephanie Catron, interior designer of Fresno, designed the project. Along with a more open feel, Catron made good use of color, especially on the office walls. Each office on the north side of the building is painted in a different color. Because the offices are in a straight line, it creates a rainbow affect when viewing the offices after entering the building. Also, red, used on Catalyst’s own marketing materials, is used both on the outside and inside of the building. In the center of the building, walls have been replaced with open cubicles that allow employees to easily communicate with one another. “It helps in collaboration,” said Mike Thielen, president of Catalyst Marketing Co. “It gives a real sense of community. It allows us to do pretty good work.” Thielen said that with so much depending on email and the Internet, face-to-face communication has declined considerably. But with the open design of the building, real communication is possible, he said. Mark Astone, chief executive officer of Catalyst Marketing Co. agreed. “We worked together in collaboration and made it work,” Astone said. “We opened it up and made it work.” The new design fosters teamwork, he said. Catalyst staff wanted more natural light, so they ripped out the ceiling and built skylights. But construction crews found that the sheetrock ceiling was bolted to the rafters. So it took some time remove the sheetrock. Now the ceiling has exposed metal framework and skylights at a much higher level than the original ceiling. It gives the ceiling a clean classic warehouse look. Removing hallway walls was also challenging. Crews had to make sure removing the walls would not impact the stability of the building. Then the walls came down, creating an open, friendly atmosphere. With the added lighting, houseplants could be brought in to give the building an even more inviting look, while helping to keep the air fresh and pure. “We had a mission to move in plenty of plants,” Astone said. “They have done well.” Also workers constructed a new kitchen and break room. Astone said the outside of the building still looks good. “We have a retro look outside,” he said. Astone added that it was a pleasure contributing to downtown revitalization. “We love downtown,” he said. “We are excited to see downtown develop.” The restored building easily fits Catalyst’s 30 employees. But it has enough space to fit 60. Astone expects the 40-year-old company to grow gradually over the next few years. Part of the growth plan is to maintain a diverse client base both inside and outside of the San Joaquin Valley. And Catalyst will remain a one-stop shop that offers all aspects of advertising, marketing, social media and product branding. Along with serving the needs of clients within the Valley, Catalyst Marketing Co. also specializes in promoting tourism, including resorts and theme parks all over the United States. “The travel market is growing,” Astone said. That includes a big jump in international travel from China and other major countries, he said.

URL to original article: http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/media-and-marketing/12380-catalyst-settles-into-new-downtown-fresno-digs 

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