Impinj is leaving its longtime headquarters in Seattle’s quirky Fremont neighborhood, heading to larger digs in the fast-growing and ever-changing South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle.
Impinj announced today that it has leased 52,000 square feet of space in the 400 Fairview building, which is being developed by Skanska. A 14-year-old maker of RFID products which has undergone a resurgence in recent months, Impinj plans to take over the 11th and 12th floors of the 14-story building, which includes amenities such as large open floor plans and rooftop decks. It plans to move in later next year.
The venture-backed company currently employs 155 people, with 36,000 square feet of space in Fremont.
“We will miss Fremont but we think South Lake Union is a great neighborhood,” Impinj CFO Evan Fein tells GeekWire. “We look forward to joining Seattle’s tech hub in South Lake Union and continuing to visit our friends in the Center of the Universe as we grow our Retail Experience Center.”
The 10,000 square-foot Retail Experience Center, located in the old PCC location in Fremont, allows retailers to get a first-hand glimpse at how RFID technologies could improve the shopping experience. The new headquarters isn’t the only change at Impinj, which announced last month that longtime CEO William Colleran had stepped down.
The big question now on everyone’s minds?
What are the plans for the Fremont office space, a choice piece of real estate next to companies such as Google, Adobe and Tableau Software. We’ve reached out to the property manager, Kilroy, to see if they have anything to share. We’re also in touch with Tableau, which would be a natural fit for the Impinj space given the proximity to its headquarters and fast growth. Interestingly, Tableau recently expanded its office space in Fremont, taking over the former Sound Mind & Body gym. That now houses the company’s engineering team.
UPDATE: Tableau declined to comment on its future expansion plans in Fremont.
