By Clyde Noel

Ron Packard meets with his guest Amy Vest in the board room of Four Main Street.

The recently completed law office building of Packard, Packard & Johnson, better known as Four Main Street, was the venue of the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce social mixer last Wednesday. Several attendees expressed their appreciation of the modern and ornate building.

The two-story design of the approximately 10,500-square-foot building is best classed as Mediterranean, or simply Californian.

The exterior features beige and brown colors with arched columns, wrought iron balconies and a domed tower. The building is situated at the corner of Main and Edith streets, with the entrance facing Main Street.

“We bought the building four years ago and began our renovation soon after,” said Ron Packard, a partner in the law firm. “A friend said the outside looked flat, so that’s where we started our renovation.”

Every feature in the renovated structure was carefully detailed. Packard said the second floor was completely gutted and they hired two master woodworkers full time for one year to renovate the floor.

“People may wonder why we put a lot of time and money in the building, but the legal community has changed. For years the only legal offices were found in San Francisco and Palo Alto. Los Altos was never on the map,” Packard said. “Then came venture capital firms, and legal firms started to move into the area.”

Packard, Packard & Johnson was located in Palo Alto for 20 years, but since Packard had lived in Los Altos for more than 18 years they decided to look here. Packard’s brother, Von Packard, found the place to relocate to.

Packard, Packard & Johnson specialize in complex business litigation, often working closely with federal agents and the U.S. Justice Department.

The garden level of the office building is occupied by a venture capitalist who lives in Los Altos.

“We have had interest in several of our vacant spaces by Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents who don’t want to commute,” Packard said.

On the second floor are Ron’s attorney offices and several other office spaces that are available for lease. The offices are furnished lavishly, with everything in either cherry wood paneling or marble.

The second floor has a wide hallway between offices, and most offices are furnished with new Italian-style furniture. A designer was enlisted to assist with interior architectural details that included numerous interior columns, paint and tile colors, woodwork and doors.

“As a longtime resident of Los Altos and a member of the chamber of commerce, I was glad to have the mixer in the building so other people could see what we have accomplished,” Packard said. “We worked with a caterer on food and opened our doors for a mixer.”

The chamber has had many mixers in its more than 50 years, and members said this would be remembered as one of the more elegant. More than 100 members and friends enjoyed the host’s offerings of food and drink.

“I am more than pleased that so many people came to see the building,” Packard said. “They were a classy group of people that enjoyed the evening, and I’m pleased that not one drop of red wine was spilled on our new carpets.”