Bruhn, Greyhound buildings in downtown Salinas sell for $3.5M
Taylor Fresh Foods buys properties from Berkley Inc., clearing way for continued revitalization of oldtown district
Two iconic structures in the oldtown district of Salinas – the Dick Bruhn and Greyhound Bus Station buildings – were sold by Gerry Kehoe’s Berkley Inc. to Bruce Taylor’s Taylor Fresh Foods, for $2.15 million and $1.35 million respectively, according to Documentary Transfer Tax public records.
“The future for Salinas is now, with these sales, looking really fantastic,” said Kehoe. “The city council, city executive and Mr. Taylor are to be congratulated.”
Salinas City Councilman Steve McShane posted about the transaction Wednesday, pointing out the Bruhn building had been gutted by fire several years ago and has remained in that condition since. The councilman framed the sale as “a huge step forward allowing Taylor to redevelop these two key sites in Salinas’ downtown.
“The sale of the (Bruhn) building has been one of our highest priorities,” said McShane.
The fire occurred in February 2016, leaving only the exterior walls intact. Since then it has remained a shell, prompting McShane to author a blight ordinance and the city to seek the appointment of a receiver to take over the building, rehabilitate it and sell it. A court order sided with the city of Salinas and declared the building to be a safety issue for the community.
Salinas City Attorney Christopher Callahan said the city is looking for the Bruhn site to be cleaned up as soon as possible.
“We still have a burned-out building,” said Callahan.
The city attorney said with Taylor Fresh Foods, the city is confident it will do something to make the downtown more vibrant.
According to Kehoe, the roots of the sale started back in late 2018 when his company first met with Taylor’s group to discuss a possible deal.
Kehoe said that the property is zoned for mixed-use and is a historic building with concessions tied to the 1972 Mills Act – state legislation to provide property tax relief to owners of historic properties to assist in the expense of restoration and maintenance. The city has also enacted higher density utilization for the downtown area. These considerations went into the calculations, negotiations and final agreement for the purchase of the property.
“We were more than happy to do business with the Taylor group because (Bruce Taylor) has single-handedly brought the city many gifts with his headquarters and other acquisitions on Main Street and beyond,” said Kehoe. “He has done great things for the city in the past and I’m assured he’ll do great things with these two great buildings.”
Taylor Farms has its corporate 100,000 square-foot headquarters in the 100 block of Main Street in oldtown Salinas. The building has been lauded as a beautiful addition to the historic street and was modeled after the architecture found in New Orleans.
Taylor was born and raised in the Salinas Valley and has said by putting his four-story headquarters, with its patios, courtyards and open space that works to create a sense of community, in downtown Salinas, he hoped to spur other economic activity and revitalize his hometown.
Taylor was not available for comment for this story.
The Bruhn building, located at 300 Main Street, has a footprint of 19,200 square feet and has three levels for a total of 57,200 square feet, according to Kehoe.
The building was originally constructed in 1925 as the headquarters of the agribusiness sector, housing the Farmers Mercantile Exchange. It would later become a Montgomery Ward store and then home to
Dick Bruhn which occupied the space for 57 years until bankruptcy closed it in 2007.
Kehoe purchased the building several years ago and planned to build a hotel and restaurant.
The former Greyhound
Bus Station building, at the corner of West Gabilan and Salians streets, has two levels of about 18,219 square feet and a total footprint, including a bus drop and parking area, of about 28,600 square feet.
Kehoe’s Berkley Inc. remains the owner of a renovated dining, entertainment and banquet venue at 201 Main Street in downtown Salinas.
“Salinas is entering a great period,” said Kehoe.