Very soon, UC Hall on the Parnassus Heights campus will be demolished to make way for a new Parnassus Research and Academic Building, a key part of the revitalization of Parnassus Heights.

The building, known as PRAB, will include more modern research spaces, including wet and dry labs and offices with the latest in technology, equipment and sustainable building design and house research that focuses on immunology, cancer, microbiology, diabetes and cell biology. The PRAB also will include UCSF School of Nursing and modernized educational spaces for graduate-level learners – creating another avenue for collaboration between faculty and learners.

Hard demolition of the building is expected to start in early July when an excavator begins crushing the building’s concrete frame and shearing the steel, from the inside out. The excavator is scheduled for a 4 to 5 a.m. delivery, to comply with city requirements for deliveries of this nature. Dates are still being determined.

The method used to tear down the building, which is seismically outdated and functionally obsolete, will be a sight to watch on campus as the excavator demolishes it to pieces. Using this method will help mitigate noise impacts in the area from the demolition work.

View this video to see a demolition project that used a similar method.

The actual building demolition is not expected to generate much noise, but there will likely be noise impacts from the steel being loaded into dumpsters and trucks for removal. Pedestrians near the project site will be rerouted to the north side of Parnassus Avenue during this demolition work. 

The project is entering the final part of demolition with the completion of the building’s abatement and interior demolition, which started May 2022, and the recent removal of the building’s bricks and façade.

The PRAB project is one of three major construction projects on the Parnassus Heights campus. Other major projects are the New Hospital at Parnassus Heights and the HSIR Improvement Program.

This story has updates about those projects for spring 2023.

This story was updated June 14, 2023.

Other Impacts from PRAB Construction

Reduced Traffic Lane on Parnassus Avenue, Noise Expected

• June 1 – 23: The Parnassus Avenue traffic lane will be reduced near the PRAB site, and noise is expected during construction to cut and cap water lines. The work will be completed between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to minimize impacts to the Marilyn Reed Lucia childcare center, which is being coordinated with the center. Traffic flaggers will be onsite. Hydraulic tools will be used to minimize the noise impact. During June 5 – 9, construction will be underway in the same location to cut and cap sanitary sewer and storm lines, which also will result in these impacts. (These dates may extend if needed to coordinate the work with SF Power Water and Sewer.)

Pedestrian Reroutes on Parnassus Avenue Near PRAB

• June 4 – 10: Night and Saturday construction is expected from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. to complete public street work needed for relocating the project’s construction fencing. The noisy work will be completed between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. to minimize impacts to neighbors. Pedestrians near the project site will be rerouted to the north side of Parnassus Avenue during this work. This construction is required at night to minimize impacts to traffic on the street.
• Through June 13: Traffic flaggers are assisting with a pedestrian reroute to the north side of Parnassus Avenue to complete cutting, capping, and retrofitting steam utilities. This reroute is impacting pedestrian traffic to the Clinical Sciences Building and UCSF Dentistry locations.

Reduced Traffic Lane on Koret Way, Other Impacts

• Through June 5: The Koret Way traffic lane is being reduced near the PRAB site to reroute existing underground water service. Traffic flaggers are onsite, and hydraulic tools are being used to minimize the noise impact. Advanced notice was given for parking closures in the area.
• June 14 – August 23: Part of Kirkham Street towards Koret Way will be reduced and pedestrians will be rerouted for the installation of new water service for the project. The nearby Kirkham childcare center will be accessible from the frontage access, which is being coordinated with the center. Hydraulic tools are being used to minimize the noise impact.
• June 26 and July 30: The Koret Way traffic lane will be reduced during two deliveries of a drill rig and a crane, which will arrive during 4 – 5 a.m., to comply with city requirements for deliveries of this nature. The drill rig will be used to insert steel piles into the ground to support the future building.

If you have questions about this story, contact [email protected].