2K Expands Footprint Into Birkenstock's Former Digs

2K Games, based at 10 Hamilton Landing in southern Novato, is expanding its presence at the former U.S. Air Force hangars by taking over space previously occupied by the Birkenstock shoe company.

The computer gaming business is in the process of leasing 6 Hamilton Landing, where Birkenstock had it's U.S. base prior to relocating to its former home in an iconic building at the northern end of North Redwood Boulevard. 

According to David Ismailer, the chief operating officer at 2K, “Business is growing for 2K, both in publishing and development. We have deemed it necessary to expand to a new hanger here at Hamilton Landing in order obtain the space needed to support the various departments at 2K."   

2K Games is a seven-year-old company that develops and publishes interactive entertainment for console systems, handheld gaming systems and PCs, including smart phones and tablets. The company has three divisions: 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play. Games are sold through retail and via download. 

The company has a wide range of popular titles and genres including shooter action games, role-playing, real-time strategy, sports as well as casual and family entertainment. 2K game titles include Borderlands2, Civilization, Mafia, NBA 2K12, and Major League Baseball 2K12.

The company is a subsidiary of Take Two Interactive, based in New York.  In addition to the 2K Games label, Take Two Interactive also publishes games under the Rockstar Games label.  Rockstar is known for game franchises such as Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Max Payne and Manhunt and others. 

Coy Smith, the CEO of the Novato Chamber of Commerce, was excited to hear the news.

"For those businesses at the hangers, they're not bringing in minimum-wage jobs," he said. "Those are some fairly high-skill and good-paying jobs. Those are the people putting money in local banks, buying houses here and going to the stores here. Who knows how many people who work down there actually live right there, too."

Smith said this is another sign that the local economy is picking up.

"When the economy went down, it almost went straight down, and you're not going to do a straight line going back up ... it's more like a 1 percent incline," he said. "But more leasing is a good sign, absolutely." 

— Brent Ainsworth of Novato Patch contributed to this report.

Do you know of a new business opening around town? We want to know! Please contact Tom at tomnovatopatch@gmail.com with all your business tips.

Stay Patched in! Follow Novato Patch on Twitter | Like Novato Patch on Facebook | Sign up for the daily e-mail with links to the latest news.