M Roche’s Genentech is preparing a major expansion at its South San Francisco home.
In late November, the local city council approved Genentech’s proposal to almost double its headquarters’ building space to 9 million sq. ft. from the current 4.7 million sq. ft.
That extra buildout, within the boundary of the company’s 207-acre campus, allows the Genentech to add as many as 12,550 employees at the HQ to the approximately 10,000 or there now, according to the project’s master plan prepared in 2019.
The company describes it as a “vision” or “guideline” for potential future growth, rather than “an indication of immediate changes or expansion to the existing campus”
The proposed plan encompasses 15 years, and the new hires will span “the next several decades,” the company said in the master plan. Construction of new buildings, details for which are expected over the next two decades, will require separate approvals.
The company says the additional building space could be used for several functions including research and development, manufacturing, infrastructure, office, on-campus amenities and employee support.
Genentech said it intends to maintain its current ratio of lab-to-office space; each make up roughly one-third of the total building space.
On-campus manufacturing currently at slightly less than 1.3 million sq. ft. will be “retained but not substantially expanded,” with possibly some potential redesign or reconfiguration.
The company says it expects to spend more than $250 million in city fees for South San Francisco transportation, housing and community programs.
