Multi-Phase Revamp of Genentech Campus Could Cost $5B

Biotechnology pioneer Genentech Inc. plans to reshape its sprawling South San Francisco campus with a multi-phase project that could cost upwards of $5 billion, the San Francisco Business Times reported. Work could start as soon as next year on a one-million-square-foot initial phase of labs valued at an estimated $1.5 billion.

Founded in 1976 and headquartered locally for nearly that long, the company would raze obsolete structures and construct new buildings closer to the core of its bayside headquarters, reported the Business Times.

“While we’re very proud of having been here for so long, for better or for worse, it also means our buildings have been here for a really long time,” Sophie Martin, Genentech’s real estate strategy director, told the South San Francisco City Council on June 25. “Neither our core facilities nor the physical layout of our campus adequately support the type of science and technological advancements that are necessary to help us stay competitive and at the forefront of our industry.”

The company to date has divulged few short- or long-term details of its plans or timeline.

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About Paul Bubny

Paul Bubny serves as Senior Content Director for Connect Commercial Real Estate, a role to which he brings 16-plus years’ experience covering the commercial real estate industry and 30-plus years in business-to-business journalism. In this capacity, he oversees daily operations while also reporting on both local/regional markets and national trends, covering individual transactions across all property types, as well as delving into broader subject matter. He produces 7-10 daily news stories per day and works with the Connect team and clients to develop longer-form content, ranging from Q&As to thought-leadership pieces. Prior to joining Connect, Paul was Managing Editor for both Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com at American Lawyer Media, where he oversaw operations at both publications while also producing daily news and feature-length articles. His tenure in B2B publishing stretches back into the print era, and he has served as Editor in Chief on four national trade publications. Since 1999, Paul has volunteered as the newsletter editor of passenger rail advocacy groups (one national, one local).

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