Vacant Birkenstock building in Novato to reopen as a museum

Former Birkenstock building has new owner

The Birkenstock building off Highway 101 in Novato is set to be transformed into a museum.

NOVATO, Calif. - Since the pandemic, some driving by a massive, remarkable and legendary spiked-roof building along Highway 101 in Novato have wondered why it remains unused.  

On Wednesday, the well-endowed Eames Institute, based in Richmond, bought it and has big plans: It's going to be a museum. 

"We are just so inspired by the model that they kind of pioneered about democratizing design and I would say, by extension, democratizing art," Eames Institute CEO John Cary said. 

For the last five years, the famous but forlorn Birkenstock headquarters building has sat idle since 2020. The mid-modern, mid-century complex, built in the 1960s, first housed publisher McGraw-Hill.

Birkenstock took over in 1992, staying 18 years.

The Eames Institute is the legacy of Charles and Ray-Bernice Eames, legendary furniture and industrial designers who helped create modern architecture, educational exhibitions and films. The plans for this 88-acre living, participatory museum are nothing short of fabulous.

Beyond the permanent art and museum pieces, traveling exhibits will be brought in. 

There will also be workshops, educational programs, spaces for makers, dining, shopping and open space to roam. 

"We can create an extraordinary experience for people of all ages and from all walks of life and, ideally, from all over the world," Cary said.

Though Novato has come out of the pandemic as well as any other small town, this project could seriously put it on the map with a lot more money coming from tourism and visitation.

  "It's great, especially the educational piece of it; being able to teach and educate kids and use it as a building block for our community and possibly build more tourism for the community," said North Bay resident David Cole.

Marin is a great place for a multi-purpose mid-century facility because, beyond the Birkenstock facility, Marin Civic Center is mid-century, as are many, many Eichler home developments, Cary said.

Residents were also thrilled.

 "I'm a designer, so I love mid-century and Novato could use it. I'm all for it," said Novato resident Nyssa Zinn. 

"I think it's awesome. It's nice to see that kind of property being productive, especially for children," said resident Annaliisa Gonzales.

In all, the project will cost $100 to $200 million. The project could be fully ready by 2030, with parts of the grand plan open sooner.