A brand new biotech constructing has been authorized in South San Francisco for a website sandwiched between Freeway 101, Grand Avenue and the just lately revamped Caltrain station.
The eight-story construction will rise from a long-vacant 1.9-acre parcel at 580 Dubuque Ave. and can overlook the freeway and prepare tracks when full. It’ll even be the primary analysis and improvement mission within the metropolis to completely embrace two key priorities for the Metropolis Council, because the constructing will likely be each absolutely electrical and embody minimal parking to encourage public transit use.
“It actually goes to set a normal for biotech improvement,” Councilmember James Coleman mentioned. “Not simply right here in South San Francisco however all through the Bay Space and all through the nation for what this trade could be: inexperienced, sustainable and for the group.”
The constructing may have 295,000 sq. ft of lab and workplace house, permitting room for roughly 842 staff, and embody a four-story underground parking storage with 346 areas.
Usually, developments of this measurement within the space would come with 500 or extra parking spots, however metropolis planners mentioned they hope 40% of staff will use transportation strategies apart from single-occupancy autos given the location’s proximity to the prepare station. Additionally famous is the potential to share parking services with neighboring websites.
“Now we have a really, aggressively low parking ratio,” mentioned Justine Nielsen, senior vp with IQHQ, the developer overseeing the mission. “[It] is beneath what our brokers inform us market is and definitely beneath what lots of our rivals are doing.”
The constructing additionally goes above and past the town’s environmentally-minded guidelines requiring constructing electrification, which at the moment apply solely to new residential developments. The council had stopped in need of extending the principles to industrial buildings amid issues of added pressure to the electrical grid, and concern that biotech makes use of may require pure fuel for some lab operations.
The developer indicated adhering to 100% electrical energy would come at a further upfront value of $1.5 million.
A number of enhancements to surrounding pedestrian areas will likely be added, together with a brand new landscaped path parallel to Dubuque Avenue. The positioning, which was used for industrial functions previous to the Nineties and extra just lately saved development tools and materials for Caltrain electrification work, will get 50 new timber planted.
The bottom ground will home a restaurant open to the general public, and a health heart and convention house may even be on the bottom degree together with outside seating house.
Councilmembers complimented the constructing’s structure, which can characteristic “perforated steel fins” that can have the looks of a rusty patina. Councilmember Mark Addiego mentioned based mostly on renderings, the design was in his prime three for brand spanking new constructions within the space.
“The place it’s positioned, the place it’s proper on prime of the freeway will likely be equally observed, so I can’t be something however happy and supportive and able to see it come out of the bottom,” he mentioned. “I believe IQHQ can see the long-term advantages of that parcel, however many individuals shied away from it as a result of it had some very distinctive challenges.”
As a part of the settlement, the developer will contribute a mixed $16.8 million to varied metropolis funds to go to infrastructure, reasonably priced housing and little one care, amongst different issues. The developer is moreover contributing $3.5 million to fund enchancment to the adjoining Caltrain station
Overhead energy strains serving the prepare station may even be positioned underground, an endeavor the developer mentioned will value $5 million.
Nielsen mentioned she hoped the constructing can be accomplished by August 2024.