Inside the new Taylor Farms building

A big new building that’s expect to help revitalize the historic center of Salinas is now open. On Wednesday, News Channel 5 got a look inside Taylor Farms Corporate Headquarters.

The five story building takes its inspiration from the architecture of New Orleans, with bricks shipped in from Louisiana and vintage copper lights. Taylor Farms not only wanted its Salinas employees under one roof, the food giant hopes the building will revitalize the downtown district.

“One of the things we did in the building was we didn’t put a commissary or a kitchen in the building so that we’re all going to go out and eat at the local shops and restaurants and enjoy the downtown,” said C.O.O. Nicholas DaCosta.

DaCosta says C.E.O. Bruce Taylor thinks the 100,000 square foot building, with its New Orleans’ style courtyard, would serve as a great hub for restaurants and entertainment. Some locals have been vocal about what they’d like to see go into some of all that space, like a Trader Joe’s.

“I think Bruce is open to all sorts of concepts that makes sense,” DaCosta said.

Taylor Farms occupies three floors with open floor plans and even ‘huddle areas’ for quick meetings. There’s even a fourth floor patio with panoramic views of Salinas. The other two floors are open to other businesses, some from out of the area.

“We definitely think there’s going to be some technology coming out of Silicon Valley that’ll come down here that’ll be operating in the Innovation Center that are going to tie in ag tech with local farmers,” DaCosta said.

That Innovation Center on the ground floor is being leased by the Western Growers Association.