The reconstruction of 135 Mississippi Street in San Francisco transformed a nearly century-old industrial building into a state-of-the-art biotech incubator for MBC BioLabs. Completed in November 2023, the adaptive reuse project began in March 2022 and is located in the Potrero Hill neighborhood.

Project Highlights

Size & Layout: The three-story, 28,300-square-foot building features laboratories on the first and second floors, along with a versatile All-Hands space on the ground floor that opens to a patio for meetings and events.

Design Features: The renovation emphasized flexibility and a modern aesthetic. The space incorporates high-output lighting, 3D wave lights, wood slat ceilings, acoustical clouds, metal ceiling slats, and custom copper countertops.

Amenities: Amenities include a parking lot, indoor bike room, showers, kitchen, break areas, restrooms, a mother’s room, and private phone booths—catering to the needs of today’s professionals.

Design and Construction Challenges
Updating the historic structure to meet current building codes presented challenges that required extensive structural modifications. The design team had to creatively integrate HVAC and lab-specific mechanical systems into low- clearance spaces while maintaining the building’s integrity and usability.

Collaborative Effort
MBH Architects led the design and served as the architect of record. Lusardi Construction managed construction, with support from Luk and Associates and ZFA Structural Engineers. Contributions from artisans and specialty fabricators brought the space to life.

This project is a strong example of how adaptive reuse can breathe new life into historic buildings while supporting innovation in the life sciences sector.