September 08, 2025

About This Monthly Construction Update

UCSF Real Estate shares Parnassus Heights construction updates monthly. Updates will be sent to the UCSF Parnassus Heights community on the Monday following the first of each month and will be posted online. This special summer issue combines July and August 2025 updates. Dates and details are subject to change.

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 (HDH). The 15-story hospital at the Parnassus Heights campus is being constructed on the former Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital site through 2029, with the new hospital expected to open in 2030.

Learn More About the HDH Project

Concrete and Steel Advance Helen Diller Hospital Project

UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital construction site at Parnassus Heights as of August 2025.

Construction on the Helen Diller Hospital (HDH) project is moving into an exciting phase in September 2025, with major concrete pours and structural steel deliveries scheduled.

Concrete placements will continue overnight in September. Through 2025, these concrete pours will occur from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. during weekdays. Due to the heat generated during concrete curing, these pours must take place overnight during cooler weather conditions to ensure structural integrity. The next pours are scheduled for September 9 and 11.

On Tuesday, September 9, crews are scheduled to begin staging concrete trucks between 1 – 4:50 a.m. in the eastbound Parnassus Avenue shuttle curb space near the Clinical Sciences building, 521 Parnassus Ave. This early morning staging will allow crews to prepare for a full day of concrete placement, which is expected to continue through noon. A flagger will be on-site to direct trucks and traffic.

On September 15 – 18, crews will begin delivering and erecting steel columns and beams for the hospital structure. This work will require a single-lane closure on Parnassus Avenue to allow for safe staging. Trucks will enter the HDH project site to unload, and flaggers will be present to manage deliveries and keep traffic moving.

Looking ahead, the main steel erection is slated to begin in February 2026, signaling a major construction phase as the new hospital building project begins to rise above ground. The HDH crew also continues to lay and install 3.6 million pounds of rebar and construct critical underground electrical infrastructure.

Impacts and Mitigations | Map of Parnassus Avenue Impacts September 15-18, 2025

On September 9 and 11: Expect activities for overnight concrete placements between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. at the HDH site. Flaggers will be directing traffic.
On September 9: Crews are scheduled to begin staging concrete trucks between 1 – 4:50 a.m. in the eastbound Parnassus Avenue shuttle curb space near the Clinical Sciences building, 521 Parnassus Ave.
On September 15 – 18: HDH crews will begin delivering and erecting steel columns and beams for the hospital structure. This work will require a single-lane closure on Parnassus Avenue to allow for safe staging. Traffic flaggers will be assisting.
Medical Center Way remains closed on weekends to support construction, and the PCUP (Parnassus Central Utilities Plant) loading dock will be blocked.
Steel deliveries and other construction activities for the HDH project are expected to impact Medical Center Way into 2026.
Dates and details are subject to change.

September 15-18, 2025: Map of Impacts on Parnassus Avenue for Helen Diller Hospital construction

Construction for Future Connections to Long Hospital

In August 2025, the HDH team completed the nosiest phase of construction on the east side of Long Hospital in preparation for future connections to the new hospital. This work was needed before structural steel erection begins at the end of 2025.

Activities also are underway near the existing hospital loading dock.

The UCSF Community can read more about this work and its expected impacts for the existing hospital and UCSF community in the Manager Toolkit. (UCSF MyAccess required).

UCSF Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building

Construction is underway at Parnassus Heights for the UCSF Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB), a state-of-the-art building that will create a vital collaborative space that drives innovations in scientific research and education. BRAB will house the UCSF School of Nursing and research programs for cancer, microbiology, diabetes, immunology, and cell biology. BRAB is expected to be completed in 2027, with occupancy in 2028.

Learn More About the BRAB Project

New Floors Taking Shape at Bakar Research and Academic Building

Bakar Research and Academic Building construction site as of July 2025.

Construction of the Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB) continues to advance on the west side of Parnassus Heights with steady progress across multiple areas of the site.

Concrete work is moving forward with slab placements on levels 4 and 5 scheduled for September 2025, and level 6 scheduled for October 2025. These pours involve placing concrete floors on top of the building’s steel frame, creating the solid structure for each level. Work will shift to Koret Way for these concrete pour operations.

At ground level, crews are preparing for slab-on-grade work, which involves pouring the concrete floor directly on prepared soil and gravel. The first placement is anticipated for October 2025. This work includes bringing in drain rock and resolving underground utilities. Only a moderate increase in truck traffic is expected at the site for this work.

Structural steel welding is complete, and crews are finalizing decking on the upper levels. On the interior, trade partners continue utility and plumbing work. Koret Way is currently being used for deliveries to the BRAB project site.

The Performance Mock-up for the building’s exterior curtainwall successfully passed waterproofing tests in August, confirming that the system will stand up well against the elements. Curtainwall fabrication is now underway at AGA’s manufacturing facility in Livermore, California. By fabricating off-site, the project team reduces construction labor needs on campus, enhances safety, limits noise and disruption, and minimizes the number of truck deliveries required at the job site.

With steel in place and concrete operations accelerating, the BRAB project remains on track as it rises floor by floor on the Parnassus Heights campus.

Impacts and Mitigations

Noise is expected from steel installation and metal deck placements.
Early morning concrete pours will continue through March 2026, with two large pours per level each month. Miscellaneous concrete work will occur during standard construction hours, with some pours extending to 9 p.m. on select days.
‌Fall 2025: Construction is expected in the southwest corner of the Clinical Sciences Building (CSB) level 7 to install new windows. Expect noise and material being hauled in and out of CSB. A Construction Impact Message will be sent to CSB building occupants when more details are finalized for this work.
Construction hours for these activities will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with occasional work occurring within the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) hours on the weekends.
‌Dates and details are subject to change.

Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements‌

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, where the School of Nursing building currently exists. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.

Learn More About the PCCSI Project

Expect Noise Near the School of Nursing Building for Demolition

Demolition of the School of Nursing building as of September 2025.

Construction is ongoing for the Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements (PCCSI) project at Parnassus Heights to prepare the School of Nursing (SON) building and the surrounding site for the building’s demolition.

The most impactful part of the PCCSI project construction for nearby UCSF building occupants is expected to be now through January 2026.
‌
‌Noise and vibration are expected to impact ‌‌the following buildings:

Interior demolition of the School of Nursing building as of September 2025.

Health Sciences East and West (HSE and HSW)
Clinical Sciences Building (CSB)
Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building (IRM)
Medical Sciences Building (MSB)
Koret Hall (Koret Vision Center)
And possibly other nearby buildings adjacent to Saunders Court.
If construction is impacting your work, please contact [email protected] if you are a faculty member or researcher, or your supervisor/manager if you are staff. You can also contact [email protected] for the project team.
PCCSI project construction hours are currently 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and most Saturdays, and adhere to the Comprehensive Parnassus Heights Plan (CPHP) Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

‌‌Currently, interior demolition and abatement in the SON building are underway. Through fall 2025, the team will continue removing select exterior caulking materials and concrete around the building’s windows and doors, which is generating noise. Next, exterior demolition of the SON building is scheduled to begin in October 2025.
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‌Construction is also underway outside the SON building in multiple locations to reroute utilities in preparation for the building demolition (south of CSB and south of the SON building) and to remove abandoned utility infrastructure in a mechanical yard (the Hooper Pad) south of the HSW tower. This work supports completing the utility infrastructure needed to support the Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB) opening. These updates will provide resiliency for critical utility infrastructure to meet current and future demand. Upgrading the infrastructure also creates opportunities to improve energy efficiency and support UCSF’s fossil-fuel-free initiatives.

Impacts and Mitigations | Map of PCCSI Site | Construction Timeline

Now through January 2026, increased construction noise and vibration are expected near Saunders Court and the SON demolition site. These activities are expected to impact nearby UCSF buildings; see full list above of impacted buildings.
If construction is impacting your work, please contact [email protected] if you are a faculty member or researcher, or your supervisor/manager if you are staff.
Pedestrian access remains open on the east side of Saunders Court. Please follow fencing and wayfinding signage to safely navigate around the SON building.
Truck deliveries are expected on Koret Way for the project.
UCSF Facilities Services will communicate about utility shutdowns to impacted building occupants as needed.
Watch a recording of the project’s first virtual town hall in July 2025. Moving forward, the project team will host quarterly town halls to keep campus stakeholders informed. | MyAccess is required
Access to the SON building is closed completely.
PCCSI project construction hours are currently 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and most Saturdays. ‌Construction for the project adheres to the Comprehensive Parnassus Heights Plan (CPHP) Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
Dates and details are subject to change.

Construction Site Map for the Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements project and Pedestrian Access as of September 2025

Site map for the Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements project as of September 2025. — Caption

Timeline of PCCSI Construction Schedule and Impacts | September 2025

Timeline of PCCSI Construction as of September 2025 — Caption

‌Other Recent Updates

A new egress route (for emergency use only) has been established for Clinical Sciences Building (CSB) occupants, which leads outside south of the building to Koret Way.‌ | MyAccess is required
From now through December 2025, Koret Way will be closed Monday through Friday, with intermittent access for pedestrians, as a safety precaution during the SON building demolition and other related construction activities for the PCCSI project. | MyAccess is required

Pedestrian Access Schedule for Koret Way During PCCSI Construction as of September 2025 — Caption

HSIR Improvements Program Reaches Completion for Health Sciences West and East at Parnassus Heights

Workers on the HSIR Improvements Program for the HSE and HSW towers at Parnassus Heights.

The Health Sciences Instruction and Research (HSIR) Improvements Program, a series of projects to upgrade the Health Sciences East (HSE) and Health Sciences West (HSW) towers at Parnassus Heights, has reached substantial completion, marking a major milestone for the Campus Design & Construction team at UCSF Real Estate, its partners, and the research community.

While final inspections and paperwork remain underway, the project has delivered seismic, exterior, and life safety upgrades. By strengthening UCSF’s largest research facility — the largest of its kind in the University of California system — these improvements will safeguard critical discoveries for decades to come.

Why This Matters to UCSF

The HSIR Towers are UCSF’s most research-intensive facilities across the UC system. The improvements completed include:

HSIR Exterior Ledge Repairs - Full repair and recoating of the exterior concrete ledges.
HSIR Life Safety Improvements – Installation of fire sprinklers in previously non-sprinklered areas, correcting fire sprinkler pipe pressure deficiencies, adding sprinkler heads to chemical fume hoods, and extending the existing standpipes on the rooftops for fire department access.
HSIR Seismic Improvements – Improving 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.

Read THE HSIR Improvements Program STORY

Other Construction Updates

Expect Construction Near Hospital on Parnassus Avenue for SFPUC Project | Week of September 8-12

Construction is ongoing, with impacts on Parnassus Avenue through October 2025, for the Parnassus Avenue Water Main Installation Project by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Construction for this project is expected through spring 2026.

From September 8-12, 2025, crews are are covering and compacting trenches, then moving on to grind and pave Parnassus Avenue in front of the existing at Parnassus Heights, between Fourth and Hillway avenues. Additionally, they are installing a new 12-inch water main on Lawton Street, and grinding and paving work is underway on 11th Avenue between Kirkham and Lawton Streets, as well as at the 11th Avenue/Kirkham Street intersection.

Questions

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Parnassus Heights Monthly Construction Update | September 2025