News

The Rise of Biotech and Life Science Buildings in the Bay Area

Over the past few years, we have seen a rise in biotech and life science building construction in the Bay Area. These developments have been quite common in San Francisco for a long time, but their development has recently accelerated. In some cases, due to a lack of square footage in more popular cities, we’ve even seen developments down toward San Carlos, Redwood City, and even Belmont. It’s great to see these buildings revitalizing the older industrial areas up and down the 101.

What caused this shift toward life science and biotech construction in the Bay Area?

Prior to the pandemic, there was a greater focus on large-scale office buildings; however, over the past two years we have seen the market shift more toward life science projects. With the onset of the pandemic, the office market came to a halt and developers began to jump into the life sciences market. One aspect of this shift is that life science and biotech businesses require people to be present in the building and labs for research. It’s hard to do medical research from the comfort of your living room. So, since tech isn’t fully back in the office, those spaces aren’t being rushed to be filled. There have also been more investments of capital into the biotech space. There are even incubators popping up within a few blocks of us that are from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet.

Life Science and Biotech construction

We’ve worked on many biotech and life science projects in the past and given the scale of what we build, it’s not a big leap for us. Right now, we have about five life science and biotech projects in pre-construction and one in construction. The main difference between life science buildings and non-life science buildings is the infrastructure, such as the HVAC system, piping difference, greater clear heights, and speciality spaces like clean rooms and labs.

“Our job is to support their vision. Often we have institutional investors who pool money together. They’re leveraging capital. They take on risk. My job is to help them realize that vision and convert the capital into a real asset.”
— Marc Morgan, Project Executive

Semiconductor Client in San Jose

Construction Services In South Bay
Best Construction Services In South Bay

We built out the interior of two different two-story buildings for our semiconductor client. These sleek spaces include training rooms, a fitness center, office spaces, a café, onsite space for food prep, a data center, labs, and class 1000 and 10,000 clean rooms. LEED project. View more of the space.

BioSquare Center

BioSquare Construction Services In South Bay
Biotech Construction Services In South Bay

BioSquare is a wonderful, market ready life science space in San Jose that totals ~66k sq. ft., including ~35k sq. ft. of lab ready space. It offers R&D areas, open and private offices, wet and dry lab spaces, and more. BioSquare features a warm and welcoming spacious, industrial warehouse vibe that runs throughout the office, and floor to ceiling windows that let in a ton of natural light. The building incorporates sustainable design features, demonstrating a commitment to the environment. View the space.

Ryan Ranch Breast Care Center

Life Sciences Building Construction Services In South Bay

The gorgeous Ryan Ranch Breast Cancer Center in Monterey, CA includes 12,000 sq. ft. of medical offices, reception/lobby areas, conference rooms, and exam rooms. It also includes an enclosed 40-stall parking garage. View more of the space.

1091 Industrial

Life Sciences Building Construction In South Bay

Currently under construction as of March 2022, 1091 Industrial will be a three-story ~139k sq. ft. core and shell life science building. The project also includes two-levels of subgrade parking and a public plaza which incorporates existing waterways, creating an urban oasis.

See what South Bay Construction is building

We’re building biotech, life science buildings, and so much more! You can check out an overview of our projects to see some of our work. If you’d like to learn more about any of these projects or if you’d like to inquire about one of your own, please contact us at (408) 379-5500.

Recent Posts

1091 Industrial: A Life Sciences Oasis in the Heart of San Carlos

Life Sciences is one of the most innovative growth industries in the Bay Area, and at South Bay Construction (SBC), we are excited to be in the midst of the action. With over 46 years of experience, we specialize in various sectors, with a strong focus on the ever-evolving life sciences industry. We understand the ...

read more
Clearing the Air: An Update on Title 24 CBSC Changes for 2023

If you didn’t live in San Francisco in the 1970s, it’s hard to imagine the smog. Check out some episodes of the hit crime drama Streets of San Francisco. In the city panorama shots, you can see smog conditions similar to the photo above.   Pretty awful, right? Los Angeles was even worse. Fast forward to ...

read more
The Biotech Boom: How the Life Sciences Industry is Driving Innovation in Northern California Construction

Biotechnology is a rapidly growing field that is transforming many industries, including the construction industry in Northern California. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of biotechnology in the construction of commercial buildings and infrastructure projects, with companies using biotech innovations to improve the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of their ...

read more
Get a quote

Get a Quote

Our team of design-build experts has over 40 years of experience in the construction industry — and therefore understands the ins and outs of the estimate process. We strongly believe in customer satisfaction and know that your time is important, so we provide accurate quotes in a timely fashion. If you're interested in getting a quote, contact us today.

Cost reference guide

Cost Reference Guide

Our Bay Area Cost Reference Guide provides up-to-date construction pricing and market data; it's a critical budgeting tool that can deliver conceptual estimates and that can save you both time and money.