North Bay Business Journal

PETALUMA — Novato-based genetic research components maker Biosearch Technologies Inc. needed to double the size of its headquarters and labs to accommodate growth over the next decade, and they found the perfect fit in a mostly vacant 120,000-square-foot former high-tech manufacturing plant in south Petaluma that could be retrofitted quickly and relatively inexpensively.

PETALUMA — Novato-based bedding importer Natural Comfort Co. LLC has taken advantage of the rapidly changing Petaluma commercial real estate market to secure better-configured space for a growing company.

Francis Ford Coppola had about 450 applicants turn out earlier this month for 130 positions at his newly renovated Geyserville winery. The number of experienced applicants, mainly in hospitality functions, negated the need for a second job fair, according to a spokeswoman. | The battle against the European grapevine moth has expanded to six California counties. | Healdsburg-based Ascentia Wine Estates, which started in June 2008 with more than $200 million raised from GESD Capital Partners of San Francisco and wine marketer W.J. Deutsch & Sons of New York, is now in a legal battle with the latter. | Recent crop reports underscore the larger 2009 winegrape crop in the North Coast. | Pigs will soon be flying through winery pipes. Named after the squealing noise made by devices the petroleum industry uses to maintain pipe interiors, these food-grade silicone “pigs” were devised by ARS Enterprises of Calistoga to move the remainder of wine between areas of a winery without water as well as clean deposits left in the pipes. |

ROHNERT PARK – Two brothers plan to transform a vacant Levitz Furniture store along Highway 101 into an entertainment facility centered on a tournament-level indoor paintball field.

Instead of the urban winery going rural, we see the economic development opportunity of the existing downtown vacant spaces supporting new urban wineries.

NORTH BAY — Three Santa Rosa and Napa firms have formed an architectural, environmental and engineering design team for winery and related hospitality projects.

HEALDSBURG – The Seghesio winemaking family has found that an economic recession can be a good time to save money by spending money on construction that will make more money in wine sales.

BENICIA — Cork Supply Group, one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of wine bottle closures, plans to start rolling out its own barrels this spring from a new cooperage nearing completion at the company’s headquarters.

COTATI – Santa Rosa architect Jim Henderson has partnered with The Fifth Resource Inc., a firm that guides North Bay companies in planning the next steps for their real estate.

Editor’s note: The Business Journal features profiles of North Bay construction projects that are complete or nearly so. Send details to jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or fax to 707-521-5292.