From a full-service test kitchen to guacamole-making “cobots,” Irvine Company’s Mike Santley takes us behind the scenes of how this unique space was created.
What does it take to stay on the cutting edge of innovation? In the case of Chipotle, it’s their Cultivate Center: a multi-use space where the team can tinker with everything from burrito recipes to store design and train team members from around the country.
The three-part space has two test kitchens, a fabrication area with a store mockup and a training center minutes from Chipotle’s Newport Beach headquarters at 610 Newport Center Drive.
But bringing such a unique space to life also came with unique challenges.
“A core feature of Irvine Company’s approach to leasing is listening, learning and asking questions up front so we can understand what the customer is trying to achieve,” says Mike Santley, Senior Director, Leasing. “That personal connection is key to providing custom solutions, which is exactly what we were able to do for Chipotle.”
Finding the Right Partner
When Chipotle considered relocating their HQ from Denver to California, the first step was to find the right partner. That’s where Irvine Company stepped in.
Irvine Company not only had the ideal office space but also apartments for temporary executive housing, hotels for visiting team members and desirable residential communities — all key to a successful employee relocation experience.
“Newport Beach is an unbelievable place for relocating talent because everyone wants to live and work in this beautiful coastal location. The quality of life is exceptional,” says Shelly Grange, Chipotle’s Director of Talent Acquisition.
Identifying the Right Location
Although locating Chipotle’s HQ in Newport Beach was an easy decision, finding the perfect spot for the Cultivate Center was a challenge since it did not fit neatly into any traditional real estate category.
After considering a range of possibilities, Santley and his team zeroed in on UCI Research Park, a curated innovation ecosystem with an emphasis on STEM, adjacent to UC Irvine.
“Chipotle is a food company so at first glance the pairing might seem unexpected,” explains Santley. “But as we learned more about Chipotle’s business, we discovered that Chipotle is, in many ways, a technology company that uses software systems and innovative tech solutions to drive sales.”
With the right location identified, Irvine Company’s construction team stepped in to make Chipotle’s dream space a reality.
Bringing the Space to Life
Building the Cultivate Center in an office space presented a range of technical and logistical hurdles that required Irvine Company’s construction team to collaborate closely with Chipotle’s architects and internal team.
“Timing, cost and potential disruption to neighboring companies were all hurdles we had to overcome with this highly specialized build-out,” says Kasey Warren, Director, Construction. “Very few landlords would take on such a complex project, but we knew that with the right team,
it could be done.”
Irvine Company came up with strategies to address each concern. A phased approach with two sets of plans allowed the kitchens, which required regulator approvals, to move forward while the rest of the plans were under development. Non-traditional ventilation methods were engineered to keep costs down. Trenches were dug to place unsightly mechanical equipment near the parking lot and soundproofing was designed to contain noise from the fabrication area.
Visit the Cultivate Center today and you’ll find designers 3D printing giant models of Chipotle’s iconic pepper to adorn new restaurants. There’s a full working kitchen with cameras to livestream demonstrations of new menu items to restaurants across the country. And there’s the new collaborative robot or “cobot,” Autocado, which cuts guacamole prep time in half.
“Pairing visionary companies with spaces that support their innovation and growth is what our team does every day at Irvine Company,” says Santley. “But partnering with Chipotle to create a space like the Cultivate Center, that is highly tailored to their brand and business goals, is a special experience, and we look forward to continuing to develop creative spaces together.”
