Serramonte Center Seeing Green

Daly City Shopping Center Goes Electric with New Security Vehicle

DALY CITY, Calif., June 5 -- Dick Bartlett, General Manager of Serramonte Center, announced today that the 35-year old shopping center has purchased its first all-electric vehicle. The two-passenger vehicle will be used to patrol the parking lots and assist customers at Serramonte Center.

According to Bartlett, the choice to purchase an electrical vehicle to patrol Serramonte's grounds was a deliberate, conscious decision. "Capital AND Counties, owners of Serramonte Center, wanted to introduce an electric vehicle as an alternative to a gas powered vehicle at one of its properties," Bartlett said. "This was the best, most environmentally sound choice to make, and it happens to be the most cost-effective choice as well. The vehicle is quiet and has no exhaust emissions, which makes for a more pleasant visit for our shoppers. And it's the only one of its kind manufactured in the United States. That weighed heavily in our decision making process."

After much study, Bartlett and his team went with DaimlerChrysler's GEM, manufactured by Global Electric MotorCars of Fargo, North Dakota -- the first "multi-purpose Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) automotive engineered for both street and turf."

GEM's batteries are charged on standard 110-volt outlets and will be powered up in a special garage Serramonte is building to accommodate the vehicle.

About Serramonte Center

Serramonte Center has provided San Francisco and the Peninsula with an exciting, unique shopping experience for the past 35 years. The Center features a collection of over 120 diverse shops, restaurants and services including Macy's, Target, Mervyn's, Victoria's Secret Beauty, Forever 21, Hot Topic, The Children's Place, Baby Place, Starbucks, Kay Jewelers, Sanrio, Electronics Boutique, Kay Bee Toys and The Good Guys. Serramonte Center is located in Daly City off Hwy 280 on Serramonte Boulevard. For more information, visit serramontecenter.com.

Serramonte Center is owned by Capital AND Counties U.S.A. INC., headquartered in San Francisco. Capital and Counties U.S.A. Inc., a real estate investment and development company, is part of the U.K. based Liberty International Group. The U.S. subsidiary has approximately 2 million square feet of office and retail space under ownership. U.S. property holdings are focused in California and also include Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco; The Senator Office Building, Sacramento; The Willows Shopping Center, Concord; and The Pacific Financial Center, Los Angeles.