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 winter, the Parnassus Heights campus will continue to be transformed by two major construction projects and other work underway across the campus.
Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital building is being demolished for the New Hospital at Parnassus Heights.
The New Hospital at Parnassus Heights (NHPH) project has started structural demolition of the former Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital (LPPH) building. At the Parnassus Research and Academic Building (PRAB) site, excavation is ongoing and shoring will start in January.
In addition, plans are starting to prepare for a new pedestrian connection across the footprint of the existing School of Nursing (SON) building. The new outdoor space will connect PRAB and the heart of the campus, Saunders Court. You can share what enhancements and features you think the pedestrian connection should have by taking this survey through Dec. 29.
Improvements to the Health Sciences Instruction and Research (HSIR) east and west towers also are continuing for exterior repairs, and seismic and life safety updates.
This quarterly story shares what you need to know about major construction impacts from these projects and more. Dates and other project details are subject to change.
You can find this story and other design and construction news on the UCSF Real Estate website. The next update will be available in early 2024.
Demolition of Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital building is expected to continue through February 2024.
To serve the city with world-class care for the next century, UCSF is constructing the New Hospital at Parnasssus Heights, a 15-story hospital on the Parnassus Heights campus on the former Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital (LPPH) building. Construction will continue through 2029, with the new hospital opening in 2030.
Beginning February 2022 through April 2027, 32 major projects are required to prepare for demolition of LPPH and construction of the new hospital building. We are communicating impacts of this work broadly to UCSF faculty, staff, learners, patients and visitors, and the community.
Structural Demolition of Former Langley Porter Building Continues
A hydraulic, high-reach excavator – the same vehicle used to demolish UC Hall earlier this year – is now demolishing the Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital (LPPH) building. Demolition is expected to continue through February 2024.
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.
The nearby 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.
Other Work Underway for the New Hospital Project
Overhead Electric Bus Line Relocation on Parnassus Avenue: The San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency (SFMTA) is scheduled to relocate Muni overhead lines in front of the NHPH construction site between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. Dec. 13-14. The work is scheduled by SFMTA in the early morning to avoid disruption on Parnassus Avenue during high-traffic hours. The lines are being relocated to allow for safe delivery of large construction equipment along Parnassus Avenue for the NHPH site.
Pressure Testing Firewater Line: The San Francisco Fire Department is scheduled to perform a pressure test of the firewater line in front of the new hospital site between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., starting Tuesday, Dec. 12. All equipment to be located within the new hospital construction fence line.
Early Morning, Large Equipment Delivery: On Dec. 21, a large equipment crusher is scheduled to be delivered. The early morning delivery time is set by SFMTA as a condition of the vehicle permit, which requires trucks wider than 12 feet or longer than 90 feet to drive between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Medical Center Way Weekend Closures: During weekends through December 2023, parts of Medical Center Way beginning at Parnassus Avenue will be closed to vehicles from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The closures are needed for utility installation and reconfiguration beneath the roadway. Emergency and mortuary vehicles will have access at all times on Medical Center Way.
Emergency Oxygen Supply Connection at Moffitt Circle: Construction continues outside the hospital entrance (Moffitt Circle), 505 Parnassus Ave., to build a new emergency oxygen supply connection to support the new and current hospitals.
Construction for the new emergency oxygen supply connection is expected to be completed in January 2024.
During this construction, the hospital entrance will have limited parking for patient drop-off and pickup only. UCSF ambassadors will staff the entrance to manage traffic flow and assist patients and visitors. Hospital deliveries will be directed to park in the white loading zone west of Moffitt Circle.
Emergency Department (ED) Parking: Construction is ongoing in the Emergency Department ambulance parking lot to relocate utilities to support the new and existing hospitals. A parking attendant is staffing the ED parking lot to assist with vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow. Private vehicle parking will be limited to 15 minutes for patient drop-off and pickup only. Construction in the ED parking lot will be ongoing through 2030 when the new hospital is complete.
Emergency Department (ED) Vestibule Renovation: Construction is underway to renovate the ED vestibule. This work is anticipated through February 2024. Signs are posted for patients and visitors around the construction site.
Hospital – First Floor: Through January 2024, work necessary for the new hospital construction will be underway on the first floor of the existing hospital in the corridor by the endoscopy department. This work impacts ramp access through the east doors at the end of the corridor. The Emergency Department (ED) door, opposite endoscopy, will not be accessible during this work. Endoscopy and ED patients will not be impacted during this phase of work.
Hospital – Basement and Third Floor: Through January 2024, construction for the new hospital will be underway in the basement for installation of a new oxygen line through the radiation oncology department and to construct new space for the facilities team to relocate. New partitions will be built on the third floor to prevent passage to the former LPPH and MRI Annex buildings.
What You Can Expect
Plan for increased traffic along Parnassus Avenue due to construction.
Hospital entrance (Moffitt Circle) is limited to patient pickup and drop-off only, with UCSF ambassadors available to assist with traffic flow, and patients and visitors.
Hospital deliveries will be directed to park in the white zone west of Moffitt Circle.
Private vehicle parking in the ED will be limited to patient drop-off and pickup only.
Pedestrians will be routed through a protected pathway.
Parnassus Research and Academic Building
Workers are building a platform to construct a 65-foot retaining wall for the Parnassus Research and Academic Building.
Construction is underway for a new state-of-the-art Parnassus Research and Academic Building (PRAB)that will provide a new home for the School of Nursing, an expanded education space, and space for multiple health and science disciplines. The new building will encourage collaboration and support UCSF staying at the cutting edge of discovery, learning and care. The building also 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.
January 2024: A New Phase of PRAB Starting to Build a Retaining Wall
With the demolition of UC Hall complete, the Parnassus Research and Academic Building (PRAB) project is preparing the worksite for shoring, the next phase of construction. Shoring is the method used to create a retaining wall that will stabilize the hillside.
As shown in this video, holes known as “auger piles,” will be drilled into the ground, and steel rods will be inserted to build the retaining wall.
Once the retaining wall is built, excess dirt will be removed to create space for the building foundation.
Koret Way Closed: Parking Removed and Pedestrian Reroute
The Koret Surface Lot is closed indefinitely on the Parnassus Heights campus, and no parking will be allowed on Koret Way, except for ADA parking. The area is closed for pedestrian safety and to provide adequate space for construction staging and equipment for PRAB.
Drive-through traffic will not have access on Koret Way, and pedestrian access will be limited to the Koret Vision Center.
Impacts and Mitigations
ADA parking will still be available.
Deliveries will be able to access Koret Way.
A pedestrian route on Koret Way to the Koret Vision Center will be available.
No drop-offs, pick-ups or drive through traffic will be allowed on Koret Way.
Emergency access will be open from the School of Nursing building to Koret Vision Center.
Traffic flaggers will direct pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Signage will be posted in the area to notify about the Koret Way closure.
Truckloads (about 20-60 daily) of debris and soil are being hauled to and from the PRAB site to build a platform that will facilitate the upcoming shoring activities. The retaining wall, which will be along Koret Way, is expected to be complete in May 2024. Currently, trucks are being routed to and from Parnassus Avenue and Koret Way. Trucking traffic from PRAB, and from other construction on campus, is expected to continue throughout 2024.
Traffic flaggers will be onsite to help direct traffic.
Early Morning, Large Equipment Delivery on Jan. 3-4
Two early morning deliveries are scheduled on Jan. 3-4 for a crane and drill rig machinery needed for shoring. The deliveries are scheduled for 3 to 7 a.m. Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, 2024. The early morning delivery time is set by SFMTA as a condition of the vehicle permit, which requires trucks wider than 12 feet or longer than 90 feet to drive between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Traffic flaggers will be onsite to help direct traffic.
What You Can Expect
Koret Way is closed indefinitely, and no parking will be allowed, except for ADA parking. Deliveries will be able to access Koret Way. Drive-through traffic will not have access on Koret Way, and pedestrian access will be limited to the Koret Vision Center.
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 PRAB construction.
The CSB emergency egress is being redirected from the PRAB Construction Area and rerouted through School of Nursing building.
Expect truckloads removing debris and soil along Parnassus Avenue and Koret Way.
Engine noises from trucks and equipment (idling of trucks will be limited to 5 minutes)
Flaggers for vehicle and pedestrian traffic, signs, and traffic control for vehicle and truck routing.
Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements
Site map of Pararnassus Central Campus Site Improvements program
UCSF is embarking on an important endeavor to create a welcoming space that will lead to the “heart of campus” at Parnassus Heights. The Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements (PCCSI) program will provide extensive site improvements in the central core of the Parnassus Heights campus, including extending utilities to support existing and future buildings, providing opportunities for improved energy efficiency and furtherance of UCSF’s fossil-fuel-free initiatives.
The project will create an inviting pedestrian connection with landscaping and hardscaping between the new Parnassus Research and Academic Building (PRAB) Promenade and Saunders Court, across the footprint of the existing School of Nursing (SON) building, which will be demolished as part of the project starting in late 2024, and surrounding area.
This work will further the vision of the Comprehensive Parnassus Heights Plan (CPHP) by improving the central core of the campus in three key ways.
1. Extending utility infrastructure to support west campus development
This project is a campus priority to complete utility infrastructure work needed to support the PRAB opening. This work provides resiliency for critical utility infrastructure to meet current and future demand. Upgrading the infrastructure also provides opportunities for improved energy efficiency and furtherance of UCSF’s fossil-fuel-free initiatives.
2. Complying with UCOP Seismic Policy
Gaining access to the heart of campus will require decanting and demolishing the School of Nursing (SON) building, in compliance with University of California Office of the President (UCOP) Seismic Policy.
Decanting the SON building is expected to start in spring 2024.
The School of Nursing is planning a temporary move to the Wayne and Gladys Valley Center for Vision on the Mission Bay campus by summer quarter 2024. Eventually, the School of Nursing will relocate to the future PRAB once the building opens.
The Ladle & Leaf restaurant in the SON building will be relocating to a renovated space in Millberry Union on the Parnassus Heights campus.
3. Creating Pedestrian Connections to the Campus Heart
The program aims to improve access to the “heart of campus” with a pedestrian connection, featuring landscaping and hardscaping, between the PRAB Promenade and Saunders Court. The pedestrian connection will be across the area vacated by the demolished School of Nursing (SON) building and surrounding area.
These improvements will enhance the campus’ public outdoor space and provide opportunities for unique open areas to connect, pause, sit, and interact. The area, in addition to the publicly accessible area of the PRAB project, will be available for use by neighbors, learners, faculty, patients, researchers, and campus visitors. The corridor also will be vital in improving pedestrian circulation and bridging the west end of campus with the Parnassus Heights campus heart.
Latest Updates
Share What You Think – Take a PCCSI Project Survey through Dec. 29
Take a 5-minute survey to share what enhancements and features you think the new outdoor space should have at Parnassus Heights.
The survey ends Dec. 29, 2023.
Health Sciences Instruction and Research Towers Improvements Program
Both HSIR towers are now covered with shrink wrap for building improvements.
An improvements program is underway for the Health Sciencs Instruction and Research (HSIR) East and West towers.
The program consists of three projects. The exterior repairs will improve the building’s safety; the seismic project will make the building safer for its occupants in the event of an earthquake and will better protect UCSF labs and experiments; and the life safety project will provide a fully sprinklered building upon completion. Overall, the HSIR Improvements Program enables learners and employees to support the UCSF mission of advancing health worldwide.
Construction for the HSIR Improvements Program is 55% complete and is expected to reach 65% completion by early 2024.
The program includes three major projects in Health Sciences West (HSW) and Health Sciences East (HSE) towers. The upgrades will run concurrently while the towers remain occupied. They include exterior repairs, seismic improvements and life safety upgrades.
The seismic improvements and life safety upgrades are expected to be complete in fall 2024. Exterior repairs are expected to be complete in early 2025.
HSW and HSE Towers Now Fully Covered with Shrink Wrap
Shrink wrap on the exterior of the towers is now complete. Each of the shrink wrap phases are expected to be on the building for about a year. Both towers will be fully wrapped for an estimated four months. The shrink wrap will be removed in a phased manner as sections of the buildings are completed.
View this diagram of the shrink wrap installation and removal phasing.
All project dates and details are subject to change.
What You Can Expect
Noisy work during construction hours
Windows sealed closed with window protection added for safety
All sides of the towers will have shrink wrap for four months (through early 2024).
Enclosed area of Saunders Court not accessible to the community
Other Construction Projects at Parnassus Heights
Fuel Tanks Project
Through December, lane access will be intermittently reduced to the fire lane behind the PCUP, and along parts of Medical Center Way, to support construction of a new emergency fuel tanks facility. The new facility will provide emergency fuel for several buildings on the Parnassus Heights campus, including the IRM facility, the PCUP facility, Moffit and Long Hospitals, and the New Hospital at Parnassus Heights (NHPH).
Construction Activities
Widening Medical Center Way
Relocating utilities
Rerouting domestic water and the fuel line
Shoring, demolition and excavation in early 2024
Installing soil nail wall, slab and new oil tanks in early 2024
Relocating fire hydrants
Construction Hours
7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (if weekend work is required)
Noisy work hour restrictions will be followed.
Construction Impacts and Mitigations
A lane on Medical Center Way will be intermittently closed through December. Access will remain open at all times.
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.
Some noise during construction hours near construction activity.
Brief generator noise where electrical utility is relocated.
