How Meylan Construction Helps National Developer Turn Empty Warehouse into a Multi-Million Dollar Asset.
Meylan Construction is a Northern California commercial building contractor specializing in complex industrial renovations, warehouse retrofits, and value-driven tenant improvements. When national developer Scannell Properties needed to transform 100,000 square feet of vacant warehouse space in American Canyon, Napa, they partnered with Meylan to reposition the 250,000-square-foot facility at 115 Devlin Street for a new cold storage tenant. The unfinished shell lacked insulation, adequate HVAC, and sufficient electrical capacity – making it impossible to lease in its current condition.
To meet strict cold storage requirements and maintain consistent 58-degree temperatures inside a structure with 40-foot ceilings, Meylan Construction re-engineered the building envelope, upgraded mechanical and electrical systems, and implemented an energy-efficient night-cooling ventilation strategy. The improvements positioned the property for lease, increased its long-term asset value, and demonstrated how an experienced commercial building contractor can convert underutilized industrial space into a high-performing, revenue-generating facility.
The Challenge: 100,000 Square Feet of Empty Space
When the team at Scannell Properties looked at the warehouse at 115 Devlin Street, it was big, empty, and a little too quiet. The 250,000-square-foot building had been built for a single tenant who only needed 150,000. That left 100,000 square feet of prime industrial space sitting vacant, collecting dust – and draining potential.
“They wanted to lease it,” Joe Meylan said. “But the leftover space wasn’t usable in its current condition. It had no insulation, not enough cooling, not enough power. No tenant was going to walk into that.”
Scannell wanted to move quickly. They had a prospective tenant on the line, and the warehouse needed to deliver 58 degrees of cooling inside a cavernous space with ceilings nearly 40 feet high. “That’s hard to do in a structure that size,” Joe said. “We had to rethink the whole thing.”
The Building: Built for One, Reinvented for More
Located in Napa’s American Canyon area, the building was originally constructed for a tenant called Golden Valley. “It’s one of the biggest warehouses we’ve done,” Joe noted. “But the whole point of a building like this is to make it flexible. You’ve got to be able to carve it up, adapt it.”
The leftover portion had no dedicated systems or finishing touches. “It was a raw shell,” Joe said. “No insulation, no adequate HVAC, not enough power capacity. And the tenant coming in needed a cold storage environment. That’s a big ask.”
The Owner’s Vision: Build Value by Building Flexibility
Scannell Properties is a national development firm based in Indianapolis. Meylan Construction had worked with them before, converting existing warehouses and building new ones for companies like DHL and former Tupperware facilities. “They buy underutilized properties, upgrade them, lease them, and flip them for double what they paid,” Joe said. “That’s their play – and they’re good at it.”
At Devlin Street, their goal was to activate that extra 100,000 square feet. “We’d already done about a million dollars of work there,” Joe said. “But now came the heavy lift – getting it ready for cold storage.”
The end game? Lease the space, raise the property’s value, and make the numbers work.
Meylan’s Role: From Retrofit Expert to Energy Strategist
To meet the climate control demands, Joe’s team had to dramatically enhance the building envelope and infrastructure. That meant:
- New insulation across massive surfaces
- Upgraded cooling capacity to hold 58 degrees
- Additional electrical systems to power it all
But that wasn’t all. Joe pitched a strategy that would not only meet the tenant’s needs but reduce energy costs: night cooling.
“This is something they’ve done in Sonoma Valley for decades,” Joe explained. “At night, the cool coastal air drops low. You open louvers near the ground and suck that air in with giant fans. It pushes the hot air out the roof and keeps the inside cool well into the day.”
It’s the same technique used in apple storage and wineries – an old trick, but a good one. “It’s like passive solar, but for cooling. Pay a little up front, save a ton on electricity over time.”
Unique Challenges: Big Space, Tight Specs, Fast Turnaround
Delivering cold air in a 40-foot-high box is no small feat. Joe and his crew had to balance mechanical engineering with physical performance. “You’re basically building a giant refrigerator,” he said. “And everything – HVAC, airflow, insulation, power – has to be perfect.”
Even the fencing around the property had to be specialized for security and functionality. “It wasn’t like putting up chain-link,” Joe said. “We had to think about how the whole facility operated – freight, circulation, access, airflow. Every detail.”
The Outcome: A Cold Storage Deal That Could Double Property Value
The next phase of construction, estimated at $1.2 million, was just beginning. “We’re waiting on final approvals,” Joe said. “But if it moves forward, it’s going to make that building way more leasable – and valuable.”
That’s the formula Scannell thrives on: buy smart, upgrade wisely, and lease to win. Meylan Construction makes it happen on the ground.
“We’ve done extensive work with these guys,” Joe said. “Because they know I’ll get the job done – and I’ll always tell them what’s real.”