Life Sciences Campus

Engaging Stanford's Innovation Cluster

We’re aligning with Stanford University’s research-and-development ethos to remake this underutilized property as an emerging life sciences destination.

Redwood City, California

Pearlman Properties
128,000 sq. ft.
Research and development

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Challenge

1050 Broadway sits between downtown Redwood City and Stanford University's nearby satellite campus, at the interchange of US highway 101 and California state route 84. Stanford’s intellectual and technological leadership has attracted other innovative enterprises, clustering in an area historically associated with the electronics industry. The City of Redwood City has encouraged this trend through zoning designed to attract light industrial uses, including research and development. 1050 Broadway currently houses a recreational facility that, although successful, could be reimagined to more fully realize the site’s potential. As high-technology start-ups move into the area, demand for flexible space appropriate for research and development in biomedicine and the life sciences will increase. A facility more closely aligned with these needs would also enjoy advantages offered by the city’s land-use regulations. Recognizing these opportunities, Pearlman Properties engaged WOWA to guide the property’s transformation.

Solution

WOWA is working with Pearlman Properties to understand the market for research-and-development spaces in relevant industries, explore their technical requirements, and identify the configuration of the property that best balances short- and long-term benefits. We developed a strategy combining a retrofit of the existing building with plans for future expansion. This flexible approach would transform an underutilized site into a 128,000 sq. ft. destination for research and development or advanced manufacturing in the life sciences. Quality design and thoughtful siting will result in a stunning property positioned to withstand a 500-year flood. The building’s strong presentation and high visibility at this important highway interchange will help establish its identity in the local landscape. Its design will comply with CALGreen building standards, offering maximum interior flexibility and abundant natural light. Solar shading and high-performance glass will combine to lower energy expenditures.

Impact

WOWA’s research and strategic planning has helped position 1050 Broadway within a vibrant intellectual and entrepreneurial community, anchored by Stanford University and closely linked to San Francisco and San Jose by major highways. Taking a broader view, Redwood City lies at the center of the Bay Area’s premier talent, top universities, and venture capital funding, home to innovators and scientific problem solvers dedicated to discovering life-changing technologies that will address the world’s most pressing concerns. 1050 Broadway will help meet growing demand for space in a sector with major significance for human health and the global economy. The facility will offer an immediately recognizable facade and a tailored yet flexible interior layout, providing crucial room for expansion and encouraging ambitious young companies to plan for long-term growth. Property stakeholders can learn more about 1050 Broadway in the WOWA Knowledge Bank.