Editing Novato, California (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California -- campus, as seen from Hwy 101.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Buck Institute for Research on Aging]] is a world leader on [[aging-associated diseases]] research.]]
[[File:The old theater on Hamilton Field (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|The historic Hamilton Theatre]]
[[File:Fashion Shop 800 Grant Ave Novato CA 3-21-2010 5-50-37 PM.JPG|thumb|right| Doctor Insomniac's Coffee, a Historic Landmark<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://focus.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/80000817 |title=National Register Digital Assets – Fashion Shop and Stephen Porcella House |access-date=October 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020114108/http://focus.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/80000817 |archive-date=October 20, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> on Grant Avenue]]

The city is home to the [[Buck Institute for Research on Aging]], and several [[biotech]] firms, such as [[Biosearch Technologies]], [[BioMarin Pharmaceutical]] and [[Ultragenyx]].<ref>[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]: [https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=117471985 Biotechnology Company Overview of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.]</ref> Several small technology companies are also based in Novato, such as [[2K (company)|2K]], Radiant Logic, [[Toys For Bob]], One Legal, International Genetics Incorporated, Channel Management Solutions, [[Enwisen]], [[Sonic Solutions]] and [[DriveSavers]].

The former [[Hamilton Air Force Base]] is also located in Novato, but was decommissioned in 1974 and designated a Historic District in 1998. After lying stagnant for many years, major renovations were pushed through by then-mayor Michael DiGiorgio. As of 2008 the base has largely been redeveloped into single-family homes. The former hangar buildings were gutted and redeveloped into two-story office buildings; tenants include [[2K Sports]], [[Sony Imageworks]], [[Visual Concepts]], [[The Republic of Tea]], [[Toys For Bob]], and [[Birkenstock]] Distribution USA.

From 1983 to 1998, the iconic<ref>[https://techland.time.com/2010/01/06/the-10-greatest-games-for-the-apple-ii/ Time : The 10 Greatest Games for the Apple II]</ref> developer of video games, [[Broderbund|Brøderbund Software]], was headquartered in Novato, known through games ''[[Choplifter]]'', ''[[Lode Runner]]'', ''[[Karateka (video game)|Karateka]]'', and ''[[Prince of Persia]]'', and others.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/19970412102027/http://www.broderbund.com/company/aboutbb.html Brøderbund Software, Inc. Company History]</ref> From the 1982 until 2015, Novato was headquarters for [[Fireman's Fund Insurance Company]], which was Marin County's largest employer at one time, with 2,400 employees as of 2000. By 2015, the company had laid off or transferred most its employees and relocated its remaining employees to a smaller headquarters in nearby [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.marinij.com/article/NO/20150615/NEWS/150619866 |title=Fireman's Fund to move from Novato to Petaluma in November |first=Richard |last=Halstead |date=June 15, 2015 |work=Marin Independent Journal}}</ref>

In Eastern Novato, north of Hamilton, there are several hayfields contributing to the local economy, but they are diminishing as more and more of them are restored to wetlands.

=== Mining and quarrying ===
Novato's history of mines and quarries goes back to 1863, when all of a sudden, multiple mining claims popped up in the area. At this time, most of the mines were either gold, silver, or copper mines. Initial results seemed promising, but eventually, prospects shifted elsewhere. Instead of mining for silver or gold, Novato's quarries and mines turned to [[Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve|Mount Burdell]]. Mount Burdell ended up being the source of hundreds of thousands of hand-cut [[andesite]] paving blocks, that were used as ballast in ships and street construction as far away as in Europe. Many of San Francisco's foundations and retaining walls from before the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] also came from Mount Burdell. Novato's largest quarry, the Burdell quarry, produced upwards of 2000–4000 tons of stone daily. Even with such high production, the quarrying activity in Novato slowly waned until the last quarry, located on the west side of Mount Burdell, shut down in the 1990s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Trumbull |first=John A |date=April–June 2008 |title=Novato Underground: Mining in Novato |url=https://www.novatohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Novato-Underground-Mining-Vol32-No2.pdf |journal=The Novato Historian |volume=32 |issue=2 |via=Novato Historical Guild Inc.}}</ref>

=== Top employers ===
[[File:Villas at Hamilton apartments.jpg|thumb|right|The Villas at Hamilton]]
As of 2018&ndash;19 the city's principal employers were:<ref>{{Cite web|title=City of Novato, California: Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended June 30, 2019|url=https://www.novato.org/home/showpublisheddocument/32151/637491744047800000|access-date=January 27, 2022|publisher=City of Novato|page=169}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
!% of Total City Employed
|-
|1
|[[BioMarin Pharmaceutical]]
|1,005
|3.56%
|-
|2
|[[Novato Unified School District]]
|803
|2.85%
|-
|3
|[[2K Games|2K]]/[[Visual Concepts]]
|660
|2.34%
|-
|4
|Bradley Electric
|342
|1.21%
|-
|5
|[[Costco|Costco Wholesale]]
|316
|1.12%
|-
|6
|Novato Community Hospital
|304
|1.08%
|-
|7
|City of Novato
|290
|1.03%
|-
|8
|[[Ultragenyx]]
|275
|0.98%
|-
|9
|[[Safeway Inc.|Safeway Stores]]
|250
|0.89%
|-
|10
|Novato Healthcare Center
|233
|0.83%
|}