Gladstone Institutes Signs 105,000 SF Lab Lease at Alexandria’s Mission Bay Campus
The biomedical research nonprofit Gladstone Institutes is expanding its footprint in San Francisco’s Mission Bay, signing a long-term lease for 105,000 square feet at 1450 Owens St. Scheduled to open in early 2027, Gladstone will serve as the anchor tenant for the new Alexandria Real Estate Equities building.
The move keeps Gladstone in the neighborhood it has called home since 2004, when it became the first biotech tenant in Mission Bay outside of the UCSF campus. While its current, 200,000-square-foot headquarters at 1650 Owens St. remains its home base, the organization has simply run out of room. This new space, just a block away, allows Gladstone to grow without leaving the district it helped establish.
The 1450 Owens St. space will house about 300 scientists across 20 new laboratories. Gladstone’s fastest-growing divisions — focused on AI, data science and genomic immunology — will relocate there. This move frees up space at the main headquarters for the expansion of teams working on cardiovascular, neurological and infectious diseases. Notably, the deal includes an option for Gladstone to eventually purchase the space.
The expansion is backed by Gladstone NOW, a $350 million philanthropic campaign launched in September 2024. By using private fundraising to anchor the project, Gladstone aims to create a more stable financial path forward, especially as federal NIH funding remains unpredictable.
“We’re at a revolutionary moment in science and medicine,” said Deepak Srivastava, MD, president of Gladstone Institutes. “With an expansion into 1450 Owens Street, we will be writing the next chapter of medicine.”
For Alexandria, securing a long-term anchor tenant is a significant win. Per Yardi Research data, San Francisco delivered nearly 30% of the national life sciences pipeline in 2025. But, that surge in supply has contributed to a high-vacancy environment that has kept pressure on landlords across the market. Therefore, a long-term lease with a purchase option is a significant outcome for Alexandria.
Joel S. Marcus, executive chairman and founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, noted the two-decade relationship between the organizations.
“Gladstone is a prolific innovation engine,” he said. “We are honored to welcome them as the anchor tenant at 1450 Owens Street in our Mission Bay cluster.”
For Gladstone, the expansion comes as federal research funding remains unsettled. Historically, roughly two-thirds of its approximately $125 million annual budget has come from federal sources. While Congress appears to have rejected the most severe NIH cuts initially proposed, spending delays persist.
By financing the buildout through its own philanthropic fundraising, rather than relying solely on federal grants, Gladstone aims to give the project a steadier financial footing.