Watch South San Francisco Become the Hottest Real Estate Neighborhood

Known as the Biotechnology Capital of the World and home to over 250 biotechnology companies, South San Francisco is also the Birthplace of Biotechnology, with this new medical research field being founded in 1976 by a then very small company named Genentech, a company which today has over 15,000 employees and growing in South San Francisco.

 

Three large biotechnology campuses are under construction and in planning within one mile of 30 Portola, making 30 Portola Avenue a great location for those looking to walk or bike to work in a variety of state-of-the-art Class A laboratories and offices.

 

These three projects will transform the surrounding area into a university-like campus setting with green spaces, bike and pedestrian ways, restaurants and retail, and iconic buildings housing the world’s greatest healthcare scientists. The projects are:

 

Southline Project

Located along Centennial Trail one mile from 30 Portola Avenue, this 3 million square feet biotechnology campus is currently under construction and features restaurants, retail and park space along with iconic architecture.

 

Centennial Trail also provides an easy and safe 20-minute walk or 10-minute bike ride to the City’s signature project – a new $210 million Civic Campus providing a new three-story state of the art library featuring adult, teen and children’s areas as well as a maker space and tech center, a video green room and a digital sound study. The Civic Campus will also have a large Parks & Recreation center with art, dance and exercise studios, a teaching kitchen, dedicated children’s spaces and a new $5 million park and playground along Centennial Trail which runs adjacent to the Civic Campus. The iconic three-story Civic Campus building will also house a community theater which doubles twice a month as the City Council meeting room. The new Civic Campus is under construction and will open to the public in September, 2023.

 

 

 

Tanforan Mall Alexandria Project

Located one mile from 30 Portola Avenue, Tanforan Mall has recently sold and the new owners will completely transform this traditional retail mall into a mixed-use retail and biotechnology campus. It will feature a new Target store plus associated retail and restaurants, a refurbished AMC movie theater, and 3 million square feet of biotechnology and life science research labs and offices.

 

 

Steelwave Project

Located at the corner of El Camino Real and Spruce Avenue, one-quarter mile from 30 Portola Avenue, consisting of two biotechnology lab and office buildings totaling 800,000 square feet, plus publicly accessible green space and public art. This project is under construction.

 

Under construction just two-tenths of a mile from 30 Portola Avenue is the nation’s best Safeway store, planned as the “jewel” of the Safeway grocery chain with over 65,000 square feet of shopping, plus other retail and restaurant, all opening at the end of 2023.

 

Vibrant Parks, Trails and Recreation

Francisco Terrace park is just two streets over from 30 Portola Avenue, providing open play space, basketball courts and an outdoor fitness area, all refurbished in 2018.

 

Just steps away is Centennial Trail, the city’s award winning five-mile long, award winning bike and pedestrian trail connecting the City of San Bruno and Tanforan Mall at its southern end with the City of Colma and Trader Joes on its northern end. Centennial Trail also connects to the city’s largest dog park and Orange Memorial Park, both less than one mile away. Orange Memorial Park is the city’s largest park, with an indoor public pool, eight tennis courts, basketball courts, excellent bocce courts, open space and picnic areas and, opening in Spring 2023, a new Sports Complex featuring new soccer fields, baseball and softball fields. In mid-2023 the city will begin construction of a new $50 million aquatic center at Orange Memorial Park. All just a 10-minute walk from 30 Portola Avenue.

 

The City of South San Francisco has just received a $5 million grant to improve Centennial Trail near Francisco Terrace neighborhood, expanding the available open and play space, adding an outdoor gym and play areas, and a new bicycle park for old and young alike. Construction starts in early Summer 2023.