UCSF’s innovative, collaborative approach to patient care, research and education spans disciplines across the life sciences, making it a world leader in scientific discovery and its translation to improving health.
This summer, UCSF construction efforts on the Parnassus Heights campus are nearing new milestones. This quarterly update by UCSF Real Estate provides essential information about important capital projects and their impacts on campus.
Please note that dates and project details are subject to change as our transformation journey progresses. Stay tuned for more exciting developments!
UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital
To serve the city with world-class care for the next century, UCSF is constructing the UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital, a 15-story hospital on the Parnassus Heights campus on the former Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital (LPPH) site. Construction will continue through 2029, with the Helen Diller Hospital opening in 2030.
UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital construction site.
Through April 2027, the project team will continue working to complete 32 major projects that support the construction of the hospital project. The team is communicating the impacts of this work broadly to employees, learners, patients, visitors, and the community.
With shoring complete, the Helen Diller Hospital project has moved into the next phase of construction – building the foundation for the building. To start, that work includes creating deep foundations, which is a type of foundation made by pouring concrete into holes drilled into the ground. Cranes, drill rigs, concrete trucks, concrete pumps, and semi-trucks will be needed for this work.
Soil continues to be removed from the site following the path of Clarendon Avenue, Johnstone Drive, Medical Center Way, Parnassus Avenue, to Stanyon Street. That is the trucking route that is expected to be used for the project through 2025.
Ramp Closing Permanently Between the Existing Hospital Loading Dock and the Emergency Department
A ramp that connects the existing hospital at UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights loading dock to the Emergency Department will be permanently closed to support the construction of the Helen Diller Hospital. Walkways and egress paths will be restriped in the loading dock and on Medical Center Way to reflect the change. Signage also will be updated.
The ramp is expected to close on August 16, 2024.
New O2 Tanks Expected to Go Live in September 2024
A new oxygen tank yard is being constructed to support the Parnassus Heights campus and the Helen Diller Hospital. The tank yard site is south of the new hospital site and east of the existing hospital.
Plans are to have the new oxygen tanks ready to use by September. Demolition of the existing tanks is expected to start in late September, once the new tanks are functional.
Noise from the demolition is expected and may impact areas on the east side of the hospital. The work will be communicated to and coordinated with hospital operations.
Expect Single Lane Closures on Medical Center Way
Construction is underway to widen a section of Medical Center Way near the Helen Diller Hospital. This project is expected to continue through the end of the year. The work will include potholing to identify underground utilities in the area, demolition of the west side of the walkway near the hospital project, and construction along Medical Center Way for the lane widening, which will start after the walkway demolition is complete.
A section of Medical Center Way will be reduced to one lane of traffic, starting south of Parnassus Avenue along the Helen Diller Hospital project site. Full street closures will continue on the weekends for this section of Medical Center Way.
Emergency and other key service vehicles will have access on Medical Center Way.
Traffic flaggers will direct pedestrians and vehicles around construction.
Vehicle and pedestrian access will be maintained during the week.
In addition to the street widening project, drivers should expect other construction impacts on Medical Center Way, including construction for the Fuel Tanks Project. An update on that project is available under Other Major Projects at Parnassus Heights.
You can expect road impacts on Medical Center Way through 2030 for the Helen Diller Hospital project.
What You Can Expect (HDH)
Increased traffic along Parnassus Avenue due to construction.
Through 2025, trucks will be hauling away soil following the path of Clarendon Avenue, Johnstone Drive, Medical Center Way, Parnassus Avenue, to Stanyon Street.
You can expect some noise, dust, and vibration impacts near the site.
The project team is spraying water on the rubble to tamp down the dust.
Next to the site, UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights is increasing the monitoring of air intake and filter changing to help mitigate any potential impacts.
UCSF Health is alerting patients with appointments at Parnassus Heights about the construction via MyChart, text, newsletter, and its website.
Private vehicle parking in the ED will be limited to patient drop-off and pickup only.
Pedestrians will be routed through a protected pathway around construction.
UCSF Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building
Construction will continue through 2027 to build the UCSF Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building, previously known as the Parnassus Research and Academic Building, on the west side of the Parnassus Heights campus. The Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB) will provide a new state-of-the-art home for the School of Nursing, an expanded education space, and space for multiple health and science disciplines. In addition, the facility will encourage collaboration and support UCSF in staying at the cutting edge of discovery, learning, and care.
The UCSF Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building construction site.
The 325,000-square-foot, nine-story building will serve as temporary spaces for research and academic groups as the campus undergoes several major improvements for the Comprehensive Parnassus Heights Plan through 2030.
Shoring Along Parnassus Avenue, Next Foundation Construction Starts
Shoring activities for the project are underway on Parnassus Avenue. The shoring phase will be completed this fall. For shoring, workers are drilling to install piles in the ground at the BRAB site to construct retaining walls. The piles are vertical steel beams encased in concrete. Once the retaining walls are built, excess dirt will be removed to create space for the building.
The next phase of construction will be building the foundation for the structure, which will start in August 2024. To start, that work includes creating deep foundations, which is a type of foundation made by pouring concrete into holes drilled into the ground.
You can expect to see large trucks and equipment along Parnassus Avenue.
You can expect to see the elevation and size of the soil shoring platform be reduced as piles are installed at different elevations on the site.
There will be some noise from the excavator, soil drill rig, and concrete trucks.
Expect Construction on Upper Koret Way, New Gate at Kirkham Street
Underground demolition and installation of site utilities are ongoing at the top of Koret Way near the School of Nursing building and the northeast side of Koret Vision Center. Work is scheduled to continue through October 2024. During the underground utility construction, pedestrian access on upper Koret Way may be impacted and temporarily closed.
To control vehicle access on Koret Way during the project, the team will be installing an automatic gate at the entrance of Koret Way and Kirkham Street in late September 2024. The gate is expected to be operational later this year, with the project team managing access during construction.
Koret Way is open to pedestrians through 2024. However, access on upper Koret Way may be limited at times in August because of the underground utility work. Construction flaggers will be present to control pedestrian traffic during deliveries as a safety measure. Any long-term Koret Way closures will be communicated widely to the Parnassus Heights campus.
Koret Way remains closed to vehicle traffic and parking. ADA parking and some state vehicle parking are still available in the Koret Way Surface Lot near the School of Nursing building.
Koret Vision Center and School of Nursing building occupants can expect to noise, and vibration impacts from construction on Koret Way through August 2024.
Pedestrians can access Koret Way; construction flaggers will be present to control pedestrian traffic during deliveries as a safety measure.
ADA parking will still be available.
Deliveries will be able to access Koret Way.
Traffic flaggers will direct pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
No drop-offs, pick-ups, or drive-through traffic will be allowed on Koret Way.
Emergency access is open from the School of Nursing building to Koret Vision Center.
In October 2024, some tree removal on Mount Sutro is scheduled to occur near Koret Way as part of a tree clearing and landslide maintenance project.
PRAB Trucking Traffic on Parnassus Avenue, Koret Way
Trucks are arriving on Parnassus Avenue to the BRAB construction site to off-haul soil. This work will continue through 2024 as soil continues to be excavated from the site and hauled off on Parnassus Avenue from east to west to support the shoring activities. Behind the PRAB site on Koret Way, concrete and delivery trucks are arriving at the site.
Traffic flaggers will be onsite to help direct traffic.
Tieback Construction Under Clinical Sciences Building
Construction to install tieback anchors under the Clinical Sciences Building (CSB) foundation as part of the easterly shoring wall is expected to continue into August 2024.
This work is expected to have some noise and vibration impacts for CSB occupants, specifically for areas near room 0101.
Equipment with lower decibels and vibrational outputs will be used to dampen sounds and vibrations as much as possible.
Construction hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for noisy work.
What You Can Expect (PRAB)
Koret Way is open to pedestrians with intermittent closures in August; construction flaggers will be present to control pedestrian traffic during deliveries as a safety measure.
Pedestrian pick-ups and drop-offs for the UCSF Dental Center should go to the south entrance in the Kirkham Lot (not Parnassus Avenue).
Pedestrians are being rerouted to the northside of Parnassus Avenue between Third and Fourth avenues during the BRAB construction.
Expect trucks arriving to and from the site on Parnassus Avenue and Koret Way.
Expect noises from trucks and equipment.
Flaggers will be directing vehicle and pedestrian traffic around the site.
Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements
UCSF is embarking on an important endeavor to create a welcoming pedestrian connection that leads to the “heart of campus” at Parnassus Heights. The Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements (PCCSI) program will create a connection with landscaping and hardscaping between the new PRAB Promenade, Saunders Court, and Koret Way, across the footprint of the existing School of Nursing building and surrounding area.
Late 2024: Final Moves Expected for School of Nursing Building Decant
The final groups of occupants are expected to move out of the School of Nursing (SON) building in late 2024 to prepare for the building decant. The groups and corresponding floors that will be moving include Facilities Services (level 8), SON labs and clinical research (level 7), and Ladle & Leaf and Facilities Services offices (level 2).
There have been three successful phases of moves as the SON building is decanted to prepare for demolition. Construction activities related to the demolition of the building, which needs improvements to meet UC’s current seismic standards, are expected to begin by early 2025.
Earlier this year, the majority of the School of Nursing temporarily moved to the Wayne and Gladys Valley Center for Vision on the Mission Bay campus. Eventually, the School of Nursing will relocate to the future PRAB once the building opens. Learn more about the School of Nursing’s farewell to its longtime home in this UCSF news story.
The Ladle & Leaf restaurant will be relocating to a renovated space on the first floor in Millberry Union on the Parnassus Heights campus. Restaurant operations will primarily remain unaffected, though a limited transition period is anticipated.
Construction fencing will be placed around the SON building and some walkways around the building in late 2024. The project will take over the use of part of Saunder’s Court, which is currently being used by the HSIR Improvements Program construction.
UCSF Community: Request Repurposed Furniture from SON Building
With the success of repurposing furniture from other UCSF facilities, and in support of sustainability initiatives, the remaining furniture from the School of Nursing building is available for other UCSF departments and employees.
On August 8, emails will be sent to those selected for the furniture they requested. Requests submitted before August 8 will be randomized, while submissions after that date will be placed at the back of the queue.
Health Sciences Instruction and Research (HSIR) Towers Improvements Program
Exterior shrink wrap and scaffolding on the Health Sciences East tower from the south perspective.
Construction is underway to improve the Health Sciences Instruction and Research (HSIR) East and West towers. The HSIR complex is made up of two, 16-floor towers with an elevator and corridor that connects the towers. About 90% of the building includes labs and research space.
The HSIR Improvements Program consists of three projects:
Exterior Ledge Repairs: Full repair and recoating of the exterior concrete ledges for Health Sciences West (HSW) and Health Sciences East (HSE). The exterior repairs will improve the building’s safety.
Life Safety Improvements: Install fire sprinklers throughout the buildings where needed, correct fire sprinkler pipe pressure deficiencies, add sprinkler heads to chemical fume hoods, and extend existing standpipes on the rooftops for fire department access.
Seismic Improvements: Improve the seismic performance rating of HSW and HSE by making whole-building structure improvements including installing seismic dampers, column splicing at level 5 of both towers, and upgrading the seismic joints and utility restraints. This project will make the building safer in the event of an earthquake and will better protect UCSF labs and experiments.
Construction Hours
7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for interior and exterior work
10 p.m. – 6 a.m. Monday through Friday for interior fire sprinkler work
August 7: Next HSIR Improvements Program Virtual Town Hall
The UCSF community is welcome to join the project team from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, for the next HSIR Improvements Program Town Hall on Zoom to learn about the latest construction activities and impact.
12:30-1:15 p.m. Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Learn meeting details to connect via Zoom. (UCSF MyAccess required.)
Shrink Wrap and Exterior Scaffolding Removal Underway
Through October 2024, scaffolding that was needed for exterior repairs is scheduled to be removed from the HSW and HSE towers as exterior work is completed. In addition, the final phase of exterior ledge coating is underway and is expected to be completed in September 2024 for HSE and in October 2024 for HSW. After that work, the shrink wrap will be removed. This visual shows when shrink wrap removal is expected.
Phase 3 of shrink wrap removal is underway for the HSE and HSW towers.
Expect Construction at HSW Entrances on Floors 13 and 14
This visual shows where a construction containment will be at the entrances on floors 13 and 14 in the HSW tower. The containment is expected to be up through September 2024.
Now through September 2024, scaffolding and construction containments are expected to be in place inside the Health Sciences West (HSW) tower on floors 13 and 14 for work needed to install structural elements that will stiffen and strengthen the building’s existing beams.
The containments and scaffolding will be on both levels on the east side of the entrances. The scaffolding will be in place for up to eight weeks during abatement work. After that, the structural steel elements will be installed to prepare for seismic improvements in late 2024.
Scaffold installation will occur until 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. During the installation, a member of the project team will help guide pedestrians through the construction area and inform the team.
Demolition inside the containment will occur after-hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
You can expect noise and vibration during the installation of structural elements, which will occur until 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• All dates and details are subject to change.
Mitigations Ongoing to Lessen Impacts of Exterior Ledge Repairs
Workers will be applying a traffic coating to exterior ledges on all floors of the HSW and HSE towers. To help mitigate the impacts of this work on building occupants, the most odorous layer of recoating activity, the topcoat, will occur every other Saturday for Phase 3. The coating will help protect the building’s exterior from future damage and deterioration.
Phase 3, which is the last phase of exterior repairs for the towers, is expected to be complete by September 2024.
After completing exterior concrete repairs, workers will be applying a traffic coating to the exterior ledges on all floors of the HSW and HSE towers.
During the installation of traffic coating on the exterior of the buildings, occupants may notice some odors inside the building, which may last several days. According to EH&S monitoring, the traffic coating being used has low VOC contents (volatile organic compounds) and does not exceed regulatory exposure limits. However, odor from the coating is noticeable because it exceeds the odor detection threshold.
The project team and EH&S have mitigations in place to minimize and monitor any odors, including limiting the most odorous topcoat application to every other Saturday, adding fans and air scrubbers on the impacted floors to help prevent air pollutants, surface contaminants, odors, and dust from entering the building.
The shrink wrap at the building’s rooftop level remains open to allow odors to escape.
Other Work Underway for the Project
Expect scheduled building shutdowns that will impact electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and other systems in the HSW and HSE towers.
Parts of Saunders Court will remain closed through early 2025 for construction laydown for the HSIR projects. Following that, the Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements (PCCSI) project will use the construction laydown space. Some sections remain open for the UCSF community.
What You Can Expect (HSIR Improvements)
You can expect noise during construction hours.
Windows are sealed closed with window protection added for safety.
An enclosed area of Saunders Court is not accessible to the community.
For the UCSF community, a monthly construction newsletter is available about the HSIR Improvements Program. To sign up, email [email protected].
Other Major Projects at Parnassus Heights
August 10: Road Closure on Hillway Avenue Scheduled for Fan Replacement in Medical Building 1
Hillway Avenue is scheduled to be closed for a fan replacement project in Medical Building 1 (ACC), 400 Parnassus Ave. The closure is scheduled for 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, 2024. The street closure is needed for a large crane to occupy Hillway Avenue, which is needed for heavy equipment delivery for the fan replacement project.
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, 2024, Hillway Avenue is scheduled to be closed between Parnassus Avenue and Carl Street for the fan replacement project.
Questions | George Schikore, UCSF Health Construction Coordinator | [email protected]
Fuel Tanks Project
A project is underway to build a new emergency fuel tank facility, which will serve several buildings on the Parnassus Heights campus. The project also will widen parts of Medical Center Way, relocate and update utilities and fire hydrants and lines, and reroute domestic water and a fuel line. The fuel tank site is along Medical Center Way, south of Parnassus Services and the Central Utility Plant, and east of the Institute for Regeneration Medicine building.
Fuel tanks project site plan showing soil berm (July 2024).
Shoring, demolition, and excavation for the project are expected to start in September 2024 through January 2025, with the concrete phase expected to start next through June 2025.
Construction in August
The team will be building a soil berm, or a rounded mound of soil, on the site, starting in late August. The soil berm will be against the retaining wall behind the PCUP.
Removal of fire hydrants and lines and relocation of other utilities.
Construction for a pump house is expected to continue through August.
Single-lane closures are expected to continue on weekdays at the end of August on Medical Center Way near the PCUP loading dock.
Ongoing Construction Impacts and Mitigations
Expect increased noise and vibration near the site from pile activities and from tieback drilling, which is expected to start September 11, 2024.
In September, expect early morning equipment deliveries for a drill rig and a crane. Dates and details are still being finalized.
During the project, fire lane access to HSIR, and the PSRB and IRM loading docks, behind the PCUP, will occasionally be impacted by construction. However, access for emergency vehicles will be maintained.
Brief generator noise where electrical utility is relocated.
There are currently projects in construction to add an additional fire water backup connection, and to update existing domestic water mains.
Two water projects are underway on the Parnassus Heights campus.
Segments Under Construction, Impacts and Mitigations
Segment 7: Located in Mount Sutro and upper Medical Center Way (construction expected through September 2024).
Segment 1 and 2: Construction is underway along Medical Center Way from Parnassus Avenue to the existing hospital loading dock. Also near segment 1 is a fire water upgrade project, which has the same impacts as the water project.
On weekends through April 2025: Medical Center Way will be reduced to a single lane of traffic for joint trenching work in this area.
Late 2024: For the fire water upgrade project, a retaining wall will be built along Parnassus Avenue and the east side of Medical Center Way. Plans are being reviewed for this work, in addition, other construction needs to occur first.
Segment 3: Construction in the existing hospital loading dock (construction expected during weekends through early November 2024)
