FREMONT — A huge former Fry’s Electronics store in Fremont could gain a new mission as a site for cutting-edge manufacturing as well as tech research and development, according to plans on file with city officials.
The former Fremont store building, which shut its doors about three years ago when Fry’s Electronics imploded and ceased operations, could be poised for a dramatic redevelopment if the proposal gains approval from municipal officials, the city documents show.
The new owner of the building and the 11.2 acres that it occupies seeks to revitalize the site through an upgrade of the structure and the adjacent empty spaces on the property.
“It (the property) would be designed to house a variety of industrial uses in the Fremont market,” the Fremont planning documents state.
The proposal listed an array of potential uses for the site after the redevelopment is complete.
“Advanced manufacturing users, research and development users, third-party logistics providers, e-commerce retailers and other related uses” are among the potential activities detailed in the Fremont planning files.
The Fry’s store shutdown in Fremont ended more than 20 years of operation at that site, which became a Fry’s retail location around 1998.
The shuttered building totals 143,800 square feet, a big structure that would provide plenty of flexibility for the new owner to attract a fresh user.
In June 2024, Florida-based Sterling Organization, acting through an affiliate, paid $35.7 million to buy the one-time Fry’s Electronics store site, which has a prominent perch next to Interstate 680 near Auto Mall Parkway.
It appears the building’s square footage would expand to 151,300 square feet, including the new mezzanine level.
A successful revitalization would be a welcome change for the prominent property, which has been dormant since the consumer electronics retailer abruptly went out of business in early 2021.
For the approximately 23 years that the Fry’s Electronics store operated in Fremont, the property was a bustling retail hub for tech aficionados.
The collapse of the Fry’s Electronics retail chain created plenty of opportunities for new uses on the properties.
In one instance, a choice Fry’s site in north San Jose drew the interest of a big tech company. Super Micro Computer in February 2024 paid $80 million for a shuttered Fry’s store at 550 East Brokaw Road in north San Jose.
After the Fremont store closed its doors, efforts were launched to find a new tenant for the cavernous retail warehouse building.
“The Fry’s Electronics store closed in 2021, and the existing structure has been vacant ever since, despite best efforts by the then-owner to find another retail operator for the space,” the city planning documents state.
Now, the proposal that has emerged from Sterling Organization for the redevelopment of the site has sketched out the prospect for wide-ranging changes and upgrades for the property.
“The applicant will make substantial improvements and updates to the structure, including the addition of a mezzanine level of up to 7,500 square feet, a full interior renovation and facade design improvements,” the documents on file with the city show.