The Berkeley Design Review Committee will meet today to discuss a proposed project at 600 Bancroft Way. The project consists of the combination of two adjacent properties into a single development site and the construction of a new research and development campus. Woodstock Development appears to be responsible for the project proposal.
If approved, the site would comprise a single new four-story building, with 251,817 square feet of total space, to be dedicated to laboratory, office, and development. A publicly accessible plaza would serve as a main circulation space facing the aquatic park waterfront. The project would also include parking, landscaping, and sidewalk improvements on Bolivar Drive.
Project renderings depict a contemporary design using glass, metal, and cement for the façade. The building is planned to have several insets and the full fourth-story design set back from the lower façade, helping to break up the large blocky shape of the building. Meanwhile, the rooftop building systems equipment and exterior stairwells are shown to be shielded by a metal mesh or opaque paneling, allowing the building to maintain a clean and curated external appearance.
600 Bancroft Way Side Rendering, image via Woodstock Development
600 Bancroft Way Side Rendering, image via Woodstock Development
The site’s location is in an area of former industrial use that has been in a gradual process of conversion to commercial use. A similar life sciences and research campus was recently completed immediately adjacent to the proposed property, and the larger neighborhood has seen change to new office, housing, and retail options, particularly around the Berkeley Amtrak station and Fourth Street commercial district.
Future workers will be only a short walk from the Berkeley Amtrak station and the many shops and restaurant spaces along the Fourth Street commercial district. They will also have access to the nearby public Aquatic Park and outdoor spaces. 524 parking spaces will be provided on-site to meet any additional transportation needs.
Details on how to view the meeting can be found here.
600 Bancroft Way, image via Google Satellite
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Glad to see some commercial development in Berkeley. Good to have jobs near homes!
Would love to see Berkeley develop their own Kendall Square – innovation and startup hub. Super possible with all of the brilliant minds at Cal.
neat