At one of the busiest intersections in Fresno-Clovis, a massive new development is taking shape that’s already turning heads. The Herndon Pinnacle Office Complex, now under construction near Willow and Herndon avenues, is a two-story, 45,000-square-foot building designed with bold architecture and forward-looking sustainability features.
From the air, the structure has been compared to a small stadium, while at street level, some say it resembles a sleek auto dealership. But unlike its neighbors — a Honda dealership to the west and a Nissan lot to the east — this project will not be selling cars or hosting sports events. Instead, developer Onkar Sandhu envisions a workplace that blends design, function, and inspiration.
“Work is not just a place you go to 9 to 5 — it’s really a second home,” Sandhu said. “And we really want the people who work in these buildings one day to find as much joy in them as we found designing them.”
The Herndon Pinnacle is being designed as an open canvas, with potential uses ranging from medical offices to a law firm or even a surgery center. Each floor offers 22,500 square feet of space, adaptable to either a single tenant or multiple occupants.
Construction began in July 2024, and the exterior is slated for completion this fall. A second 45,000-square-foot building is planned as part of Phase 2, with the full project covering seven acres.
Architects at SmithGroup, known for award-winning designs nationwide, incorporated both aesthetics and sustainability into the project. The striking curved roof overhang reduces solar heat gain, improving energy efficiency while still allowing in natural light. “Instead of paying for air conditioning and using a lot of electricity to cool the building, you can substantially reduce that amount,” said Peter Buffington, senior design principal at SmithGroup.
Other features include:
“We want to make sure the architecture stands proud on Herndon Avenue, and people as they’re driving by the building, they can actually enjoy (it),” said Arun Kaiwar, senior principal at SmithGroup.
Sandhu noted that his inspiration came from travels to larger cities. “Seeing the buildings in Washington (D.C.), seeing (and) walking through San Francisco ... I saw all the beautiful buildings there. It really inspired me to really bring the best projects that we can to Fresno and Clovis. ... We wanted to build something that was really innovative, something that we could all be really proud of in this community that we call home.”
With completion expected this fall, the Herndon Pinnacle Office Complex is poised to become one of Fresno-Clovis’s most distinctive new landmarks.
Originally reported by Bryant-Jon Anteola in The Fresno Bee.
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