Parent Company Behind Family of Fly Fishing Brands Signs Lease for Iconic Seattle Building’s 5th Floor
Seattle, Wash. – Seattle-based commercial real estate firm Urban Renaissance Group (URG) and Far Bank Enterprises (Far Bank) announced that Far Bank has signed a full-floor lease at the Joshua Green Building, which will serve as the company’s headquarters.
Far Bank, the parent company behind noted fly fishing brands like Sage Fly Fishing, Redington, RIO Products, and Fly Water Travel, has a long history in the Pacific Northwest. Don Green founded Sage Fly Fishing, Far Bank’s oldest brand, in 1980 on Bainbridge Island, where Sage rods are still designed and built by hand today. Bainbridge Island will remain home to Sage Manufacturing, and RIO will continue to produce every one of its fly lines at its facility in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The Joshua Green Building will serve as Far Bank’s headquarters, bringing together the executive leadership, brand marketing, product development and design, and commercial teams that support all four brands.
Far Bank’s arrival brings the company into a building with which it shares a lineage. Far Bank is wholly owned by the Joshua Green Corporation, a Seattle family investment company founded by Joshua Green—the same shipping and banking figure whose name the building has carried since 1912. Green built his first business on the waters of Puget Sound, and the family has backed Northwest companies for generations since.
“We’re excited to be moving into the Joshua Green Building,” said Far Bank CEO Ryan Hamilton. “We wanted a place that inspires the people who design and build our products, and a hub where our teams from Bainbridge Island, Idaho Falls, and Ashland come together to plan and shape the business—with a century of Seattle history in the walls and world-class water within a couple of hours of the front door. We look forward to continuing to grow our global community of fly anglers over the years ahead.”
Far Bank’s move demonstrates the lasting appeal of the Joshua Green Building’s 2008 renovation, which won a NAIOP Historic Renovation of the Year award as one of URG’s earliest development projects. Collaborating closely with the Joshua Green Corporation, URG worked to breathe new life into the building, which is a designated historic landmark. The comprehensive restoration included new energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, a seismic retrofit, and expansion of small 1900s-era tenant spaces into spacious 8,000 sq. ft. full-floor office suites.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the Far Bank team to their new home,” said URG CEO Matthew Simo. “Far Bank is well-known for their commitment to innovation and for crafting premium products and experiences. We’ve applied that same philosophy throughout our time as owners of the Joshua Green Building and believe they will be a great fit for the building.”
Cleita Harvey, Tim Jones, and Blair Stern of Jones Lang LaSalle represented building ownership in the deal. Burgess Design served as the renovation project architect for Far Bank’s new workspace.
Urban Renaissance Group, LLC is a Seattle-based full-service commercial real estate firm, engaged in acquisitions, development, asset management, leasing, property management, and ownership in Seattle, Bellevue, and Portland. Since its founding in 2006, Urban Renaissance Group (URG) has leveraged its deep knowledge of local markets and the efficiencies of a vertically integrated approach to drive operations and deliver results for its partners. URG’s mission is to create places that inspire and connect, acting as stewards of the built environment to meet the needs of the community both today and in the future. Learn more at www.urbanrengroup.com.
Far Bank Enterprises, Inc., is a holding company that has as its subsidiaries Sage Manufacturing, Redington, RIO Products, and Fly Water Travel. Through these companies, Far Bank is engaged in creating incredible experiences for the passionate fly-fishing community through travel and fine gear such as fly-fishing rods, reels, waders, fly lines, leaders, tippet material, flies, and apparel. Far Bank is wholly owned by the Joshua Green Corporation, a family investment company based in Seattle, Washington. Learn more at www.farbank.com.
