Planning Commission schedules informational briefing and April action on Mission Bay South projects

Planning staff and project sponsors from Alexandria Real Estate Equities presented two Mission Bay South projects proposing office and biotech buildings, ground-floor retail and significant off-site parking located in future garage parcels. Project descriptions included a 90-foot, 6-story building at 1515 Third Street (approx. 216,500 sf, 369 parking spaces in Block 27 garage) and a three-building proposal at 1455 Third Street (approx. 381,000 sf with a 159-foot tower component and 687 parking spaces).

Staff recommended approval with conditions based on consistency with the Mission Bay redevelopment plan and Section 3.21 design-review and office-allocation rules. Commissioners raised concerns about how these projects fit into the larger Mission Bay context and urged earlier and deeper Planning Department engagement during the conceptual phase. Several commissioners asked to see a three-dimensional massing or contextual model showing the projects in relation to recently approved Mission Bay buildings and the park.

After discussion the commission adopted a two-phase schedule by majority vote: a detailed informational session on March 22 and a special hearing for possible action on April 19. Developers told commissioners they anticipate moving forward with building permits for portions of Block 26 (about 350,000 sf) within 12 months and said some materials requested by commissioners already exist.

Public comment at the hearing was limited and commissioners asked staff to bring additional context materials before the informational session.