New Digs, New Home for Gallo in Healdsburg

NOTE: This article was updated on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, to correct the address of the new Gallo building to 845 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg.

Moving day took place this week for many of the 80 Healdsburg-based employees of

From rented quarters above the Gallo's winemakers, viticulture, admin support, hospitality, sales, public relations and marketing staff trekked across town to the two-story, 15,812-square-foot former Oliveto Wine Co. building at 845 Healdsburg Ave. (at Powell Avenue).

"It's really nice that what could have previously been deemed an eyesore is now a community asset," said Gallo Fine Wine Public Relations Manager Kelly Conrad.

Gallo's new Healdsburg headquarters will be a key hub for the family-owned Modesto-based company, which employs about 5,000 people worldwide.

"We're kind of tucked away back here," Conrad said of the 2.5-acre space opposite the convenience store on Healdsburg Avenue. "It's great that we can have an entire campus of Gallo employees and not be intrusive to the community."

Construction on the $2 million renovation took about 1 1/2 years --during which time every effort was made to preserve roots of the original 1902 production winery owned first by the Olivetos, then the Passalacqua family and finally by Gallo.

On Jan. 19, bestowed on the building its "Historic Preservation -- Commercial Building 2011" award.

"Everyone really admired the brick, so that's why it's all been preserved," Conrad. Also intact are the original 12-by-12-foot interior wood posts and beams.

After being purchased by the Gallo family about 20 years ago and used most of that time for wine storage, the Gallos engaged architect Alan Cohen to design a historic and "green" renovation plan.

Cohen's design, focusing on integration of natural elements, preserves the original interior and exterior brick walls and the interior wood columns -- but adds stylish, modern, light-filled spaces, airy offices and expansive conference rooms.

"I love the new space," said Beth Allen, executive assistant, as she unpacked boxes in her office. "I love that I sit next to a big window that has lots of natural light -- it's a beautiful building."

Conrad said Gallo Winemaker Gina Gallo and her brother, Vice President of Viticulture Matt Gallo, are planning an open house in a month or two after everyone is settled.

According to a company fact sheet, the building was known as the Oliveto Winery prior to Prohibition. Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1934, Emil and Enrico Passalacqua purchased the building and operated their winery onsite.

Gallo acquired the building approximately 20 years ago and used it to store bulk wine. A few years ago, Gallo decided to rehab the building and preserve its historic character.

"A lot of older buildings are being rehabbed now to meet 'green' construction standards," Conrad said. "So we just thought we would incorporate the 'green' standards in our renovation."

Interestingly, no rigid steel frames were required for the construction, according to Gallo's documents.

The original winery had two parallel brick walls -- one 8 inches thick and the other 6 inches thick -- in order to maintain a passive cooling air space between them.

"The engineer and architect were able to use this 'double wall' to retrofit the building to meet earthquake standards," Gallo's fact sheet says.

"The space between the two walls was filled with mortar and steel reinforcing," Gallo says. "The second floor was used to brace the wall at mid-span and create a bond beam at the top of the wall, braced to a new roof."