Yesterday – July 31, 2012 – was a red letter day for Serena, the day we moved into our new HQ space in San Mateo. No, not the old HQ space in San Mateo. That was years ago and well up the hill on 92. Our new HQ occupies the fourth floor of 1850 Gateway Drive, a great building in a great location.
First the location: just inside the elbow of 101 and 92, it feels like we’re in Foster City, because, well, we’re across the street from Foster City, a mere block from the Metro Tower. This puts us within walking distance of restaurants, hotels and all manner of stores. Think of this spot as the commuting center-of-gravity for the entire Bay Area. Our East Bay folks come off the San Mateo bridge right into the office, Bay-side and City commuters come right off 101, while western peninsula folks like me take 280 and 92, avoiding 101 altogether.
Most importantly to the evident happiness of everyone here at Serena HQ is the excellent layout, light and size of this full floor space. Unlike our previous Redwood City HQ, which was always too large (but such a deal back in the day), this 21K sq. ft. space is roomy but cozy, which imparts an energy and sense of teamwork that our formerly wide open spaces lacked. Light streams in from all four directions, along with views of water on the Bay side and fog creeping over the Santa Cruz Mountains on the Pacific side. The renowned beauty of the Bay Area sure isn’t hidden here!
We’re still unpacking a bit, but are ready to host customers, not to mention Serena staffers from Hillsboro, Woodland Hills, Colorado Springs, Reston, the Big Apple, St Albans, München, Köln, Kiev, Paris, Milano, Madrid, Stockholm, São Paulo, Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and Bangalore. This isn’t the largest Serena facility, but it is one of the nicest.
How do you get here? Fly into SFO, then drive four exits south on 101 and look for the Serena folks with smiles on their faces.
