https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2021/09/29/redco-742-grayson-life-sciences-west-berkeley.html
San Francisco-based REDCO Development wants to build a 210,000-square-foot life sciences facility in West Berkeley, a project it says could add as many as 700 jobs to a part of the city already known as an economic hub.
Oakland-based architect brick. submitted a preliminary design review application for the proposed four-story facility at 742 Grayson St. on Sept. 1. The proposal includes 187,000 square feet of research and development space, a 18,327-square-foot outdoor terrace and a seven-story parking garage with 362 spaces.
There are two existing buildings on the 2.5-acre property — a nearly 35,000-square-foot former warehouse and distribution facility and a 7,500-square-foot office building. REDCO earlier this year leased the two buildings for 18 months to Berkeley for use as an emergency homeless shelter with capacity for 50 people. That lease, for $16,500 a month, began July 1 and lasts through the end of September 2022, after which point it is month-to-month, according to city documents. REDCO Managing Partner Chris Freise said the proposal was still in early stages, suggesting it could be a year or so before necessary permits are obtained. Construction of the new buildings — which would require demolition of the existing structures — is at least two years away, he said. REDCO proposed committing additional resources to helping Berkeley find an alternative site for the shelter and its services once development begins.
“We’re not really renting it for profit — we were trying to give a community benefit to the city for a need,” Freise said of leasing the properties to the city. REDCO has been working in partnership with Berkeley throughout the application process, he said.
REDCO acquired the property in an off-market sale for an undisclosed amount in 2017, according to its website, and recently secured the city’s permission to change the site’s address to 700 Grayson St., Friese said.
The project could employ as many as 700 workers. Up to 15% of jobs located at the project would cater to workers without an advanced degree, according to the application.
The site falls under the West Berkeley Plan area, which requires new developments to preserve at least 25% of previous warehouse floor area for manufacturing use. REDCO and the cityare working to determine exactly how much manufacturing space the project will be required to have, Freise told me.
Bayer’s Berkeley Campus is directly north of the project, which is also proximate to Aquatic Park, an existing innovation hub slated for development into additional life sciences space.