Executive Summary

Background and Objectives
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) has designated a 30-acre parcel on the eastern perimeter of the East Campus for development of a Science Research Park (SRP). The SRP will augment and enhance the instructional and research base of the University.  The SRP will also create an intellectual resource for the interaction among industrial and academic research activities, enhance retention of outstanding researchers, and enhance private support for UCSD’s graduate and undergraduate fellowships, training, research, and collaboration. The land will be made available under long term ground leases.

Programmatic criteria for prospective ground lessees require that research activity be industrial, scientific, or technological in nature and provide clear demonstration of UCSD- linked research or instruction. Federal Government- designated classified programs are not eligible for inclusion in the SRP. Permitted tenant activities include research and product development; production, assembly, and testing of prototypes; pilot plant facilities, and research-related support.

The design and construction of SRP improvements will proceed under UCSD’s standard design and construction review processes.

For additional information see UCSD Real Estate's SRP web site (Click Here)

Site and Planning Context
The UCSD Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) and the UCSD Master Plan guide the development of the SRP and establish the context, planning principles, and design guidelines for all the campus neighborhoods.

The physical context of the SRP includes the UCSD Park, canyons,and other native habitats, campus housing, and the East Campus Health Sciences (ECHS) neighborhood, as well as student parking, recreation facilities, and open space. The SRP also borders community commercial and residential uses.

Vehicular circulation and access into the SRP will occur from three directions, including Campus roads from the north and west, and site entry from the east. UCSD will coordinate with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board to locate a new light rail transit segment serving UCSD, its East Campus, and the University Town Center vicinity. A landmark design bridge with vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle lanes will be constructed across Interstate 5 and connect to the SRP via Medical Center Drive South.

Development Concept and Planning Principles
The canyon landform at the site’s western edge provides the SRP with its defining feature. Planning principles have been established to guide the development of the SRP by creating a “sense of place”, integrating the canyon’s rustic landscape while maintaining the discrete urban landscape at the center of the site, and promoting views into the canyon from the research buildings.

The pedestrian experience and exterior landscape terraces defined by the buildings form the development concept of the SRP. The Terraces descend along the natural slope of the canyon edge, and an extension of the canyon landscape provides the focal point of the development. Secondary pedestrian Walks cross the Terraces, and link to pathways joining the ECHS pedestrian system.

Development Capacity and Configuration
The site has been designed with five building lots, three shared parking facilities, open space, and landscape areas. Total buildable area on each lot ranges from 110,000 to 170,000 gross square feet (gsf), comprising a total SRP development capacity of 650,000 gsf, on approximately 15 acres. The remaining 15 acres support the Terraces and Walks, streets, parking, and open space.  Lots may be subdivided to construct smaller buildings if development capacity targets are met on the lot. Pedestrian bridges at the second level may be permitted between lots to allow a larger aggregation of area than a single lot may provide.

Development Concept
The SRP site concept provides for a grouping of five 2 to 4 –story buildings around the Terraces and Walks, set at elevations that follow the sloping contour of the canyon edge. Vehicular circulation on Street C loops the site at the perimeter, where parking and service bays are located. An Entry Plaza provides an arrival experience to the SRP, and a link to pedestrian Terraces and Walks. Shared parking areas, including a future parking structure, are located outside the Street C perimeter. Landscaped open space links the Terraces with the canyon in the canyon extension.

Parking in the SRP will require approximately 1,800 spaces for the full building capacity build out. Parking on building lots during stages of developing of the SRP is intended to augment SRP parking needs by providing surface lots and limited structured parking below research buildings.

Infrastructure on the site, including grading and drainage improvements, water, sewer, reclaimed water, data, and electric and gas utilities will be constructed in the first phase of development.  Subsequent phases of development will allow buildings to be constructed in any order. The final phase that includes the fifth building lot will also require the construction of a freestanding parking structure along Regents Road, the eastern site boundary.

Design Guidelines
The SRP Design Guidelines form the basis for project design throughout the design process. They are descriptive recommendations and evaluation criteria guiding the quality of each building project.

The guidelines build on the development concept of a rich “sense of place”, integration of the rustic landscape, and reinforcement of the pedestrian experience. Building siting and setbacks control the placement of buildings on each lot, the location of Terraces and Walks, and provide landscape zones for each lot. The massing of buildings on each lot suggests a maximum of four story structures that balance vertical and horizontal composition, and provide relief and interest through varying the building heights and massing.

Pedestrian circulation and entry into buildings will be guided through careful location of building entries and the use of arcades and colonnades along the Terraces and Walks.

The design of architectural fenestration, roof elements, penthouses, and services bays is guided by recommendations that reinforce the principles of simplicity, balance, and harmony with the building, site, and landscape.

Materials, finishes, color, and glazing recommendations also reflect the desire to complement and harmonize with the natural environment of the SRP, and avoid highly individualized design statements.

Lighting and signage will conform to the UCSD Campus Standards, and reflect the importance of pedestrian safety, wayfinding, and integration into the site landscape.

Vehicular Circulation Access and Design
The main perimeter loop road in the SRP, Athena Circle (Street C in the illustrative plan), will be a 40-foot wide, two-lane road. It will connect to the east site entry feature on Street B, a 4-lane divided street intersecting at Regents Road. Both streets will include sidewalks and bike lanes. Access for vehicles, shuttles, pedestrians, and bicyclists to the West Campus will be augmented by the construction of the I-5 Bridge at the west end of the ECHS neighborhood. Emergency and maintenance access to buildings will occur on selected Terraces and paths, as well as perimeter parking lots and streets. Campus shuttle bus stops will be located as the SRP develops.

Parking
Parking bays must meet identified Campus dimensional standards for landscape islands, pedestrian paths, and driveway configurations. Parking beneath each building is strongly encouraged and will be accessed from Street C. At the final phase of development, a freestanding 4 to 5–level parking structure with approximately 650-800 spaces will be constructed on Parking Lot 2 adjacent to Regents Road. Access to this structure will be from Athena Circle (Street C).

Landscape Guidelines
The rustic canyon landscape of eucalyptus, native, and indigenous species forms the basis for the integration of the natural and built environment of the SRP. The natural landscape of the canyon is balanced with the more urban, discrete landscape of the Terraces and Walks.

The Terraces provide the primary social interaction spaces of the SRP, and each of the three levels is representative of the transition to the canyon extension. The use of evergreen elm, Torrey pine, strawberry tree, and three distinct types of ground covers will define this discrete, man-made character.

The Walks provide the visual integration from the Terraces to the buildings, and are intended to be light and airy, utilizing bottle tree, flowering pear, golden trumpet tree, and purple crown robinia to provide color, interest, and a varied experience along the Walks.

Neighborhood edges will integrate with other ECHS palettes through the use of similar enhanced paving, street furniture, and drought-tolerant plant materials. Entry theme trees include the Torrey pine; street trees include flowering and other eucalyptus species, canary island pine, coast live oak, and Brisbane box tree.

Building lot and parking lot landscaping should blend into the indigenous landscape environment; the use of aleppo pine, bottle tree, the Brisbane box tree, and tipu tree in random placement will encourage this integration.

Street furnishings and lighting should be complementary to building, landscaping, and paving. Recommendations include coordinated ‘design’ sets or ‘systems’ of seating and benches, bicycle parking racks, waste containers, and planters.

Landscape lighting should comply with UCSD standards and be placed strategically and minimally for pedestrian safety and access, as well as integrate with signage and landscape.