Title
PLN2-0167 - 200 Wind River Way - Applicant: Blue Rise Ventures, LLC. - Public workshop on Development Plan Amendment and Design Review for an approximately 120,000 square foot life sciences building and Bay Trail improvements. Public workshop to discuss a proposed 120,000 sf, three-story life science building located at the intersection of Clement Avenue and Sherman Street on the existing Wind River Campus. CEQA Determination: The project is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act. No final action on the environmental review, Development Plan, or Design Review will take place at this meeting
Body
To: Honorable President and Members of the Planning Board
From: Steven Buckley, Planning Board Secretary
BACKGROUND
The Wind River campus development was originally approved as five office buildings in 1997. Only four of the buildings were constructed. Blue Rise Ventures is the current owner of the former Wind River campus and The Research Park at Marina Village. Blue Rise Ventures has been taking advantage of the strong demand for life science (bio-tech) space, retrofitting existing office spaces for mixed laboratory and office space to support this increasingly important sector. To date, approximately 600,000 square feet of the existing business park has been converted to high-quality research and development laboratory space. For the past two years, in consultation with City staff and BCDC staff, Blue Rise has been preparing plans for the fifth building at 200 Wind River Way in a new location adjacent to the new intersection at Sherman Street, Clement Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue.
DISCUSSION
Blue Rise Ventures is proposing a new three-story, 120,000 square foot life science building on an existing parking lot at the southeast corner of the existing Wind River campus (Exhibit 1 - Plans). When the Wind River project was approved in 1997, there was no street frontage in this location. The relatively recent completion of the Del Monte warehouse conversion (Alta Star Harbor) and Clement Avenue extension provides the opportunity for this new building to be sited at the new intersection. This allows a more urban relationship to the street by occupying an otherwise unused parking lot and waterfront area. The building façade incorporates a mix of concrete panels and columns, solid and perforated metal panels, and vertically oriented glazing. The main entrance is marked by a ground floor colonnade. The overall building height is 68 feet. Each of the three floors are at least sixteen feet ceiling height. Given the significant mechanical requirements for R&D laboratory space, the rooftop mechanical screen is fully integrated into the building façade and reads as a fourth story. At full occupancy, the building is expected to accommodate approximately 300 employees. This is comparable to the previously approved 75,000 square-foot office building, as laboratory users require much more space per employee than traditional office workers.
In addition to the new building, the project proposes significant waterfront improvements. Currently there is an approximately 800-foot gap in the Bay Trail at the project site. Blue Rise proposes to demolish an existing unstable wooden wharf and connect the Cross Alameda Trail and the Bay Trail segment behind the existing four buildings. The existing concrete wharf will be retained and improved with seating, a turf area, and a bocce ball court. The rear of the building facing the water will front onto a new plaza and amenity spaces flanking the Bay Trail. Public Shore parking, loading and waste collection will be served by an existing driveway entrance off Clement Avenue at the southeast corner of the site. The applicant also intends to include a dock to allow direct water access for kayaks and other small watercraft.
Initial plans proposed adding a new fourth leg to the Sherman-Clement-Atlantic intersection by extending Sherman Street into the project site. Staff identified concerns about conflicts with the Cross Alameda Trail, preferring not to introduce new curb cuts across separated bicycle facilities and modifying the new intersection operations. The applicant was required to revise the site plan to rely on the existing Wind River Way entrance to provide vehicular access for the campus. Transportation Planning and Public Works Engineering staff are reviewing a local traffic impact analysis to ensure the final circulation plans successfully meet the needs of the project in a safe manner.
The Sherman Street extension will instead act as a London plane tree-lined pedestrian promenade and provide emergency vehicle access only. In addition to the 58 London plane trees, the landscape plan includes 119 bigleaf maple and assorted jacaranda, cajeput, ornamental pear and water gum trees for a total of 248 new trees. A significant number of existing trees, mostly small acacia, will be removed from the project site and parking lots. Parking for the campus is provided through multiple surface parking lots. The project will require reconfiguration of the existing parking lots and include 943 vehicle parking, including 37 ADA parking stalls. 48 spaces will have electric vehicle charging stations with 190 additional EV capable spaces. The project will provide 52 new short-term and 24 long-term bicycle parking spaces.
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
This workshop is not a public hearing, in that no decisions are being made, and there are no statutory requirements for public notice. Future public hearings on the project will include required mailings to property owners, newspaper ads and site postings.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The draft Development Plan and Design Review are subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act. No final action on the environmental review, Development Plan, or Design Review will take place at this meeting.
CLIMATE IMPACT
This workshop to discuss the proposed life science building will not have a direct effect on climate change.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public workshop to discuss the proposed life science building project and provide feedback on the draft Development Plan and Design Review.
Respectfully Submitted,
Steven Buckley, Secretary to the Planning Board
By,
Brian McGuire, Planner II
Exhibits:
1. Plans