Bids in for New Stem-Cell Institute

SACRAMENTO-A host of larger cities and a coalition of smaller cities have submitted bids to host the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a new entity created to dispense $3 billion in stem cell research money approved by voters under Proposition 71 in November. Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Emeryville and the San Mateo County Economic Development Association all submitted bids before Wednesday’s deadline.Emeryville is home to the institute’s temporary headquarters. The bids were submitted this week to the institute’s Sacramento-based site selection committee. Committee officials will review the options and on April 22 select its first choice and a runner up. The final choice will be made May 6. The institute is expected to open its permanent headquarters in July. The bid requirements called for 17,000 sf of low- or no-cost office space to be provided for 10 years, at least 40 spaces of free parking and low-cost meeting and hotel facilities. Other requirements include being located within 45 minutes of an international airport and within one quarter-mile of public transportation. The institute states that these are “minimum requirements,” which could mean the additional benefits will decide the winner. As part of San Francisco’s bid, Stockbridge Capital partners is offering to provide 20,000 sf of new office space across from SBC Park in Mission Bay (250 King Street) and provide it turnkey and free of charge to the institute for 10 years. In addition, Joie de Vivre Hospitality and Kimpton Hotels are offering more than 2,500 free room nights and additional 14,000 discounted room nights valued at $1 million, and Gensler Architects and general contractor Hathaway Dinwiddie also are offering free services. As part of the package, the City of San Francisco is offering to link the institute to its fiber optic network and provide free or low cost lab and conference space on the San Francisco General Hospital campus.By Thursday morning, San Francisco was the only city that had posted its full proposal on its Web site as requested by the institute. On the City of Los Angeles’ Web site, a letter from its mayor detailed the major components of its proposal: free Downtown office space in City National Plaza, free meeting space at the Los Angeles Convention Center, occasional use of a private corporate jet and $1 million in foundation grants.San Diego is reportedly offering free rent for 10 years in view space in the city’s biotech hub, as well as free grant-making consulting services from companies that work with the National Cancer Institute. San Jose’s bid reportedly includes the option to choose from two sites, one near the airport and the other downtown. In addition, it is said to include free conference center use, discount furniture, interior design services, and free or discounted hardware and software equipment from Silicon Valley companies such as Hewlett-Packard. The City of Emeryville and Wareham Development, which owns about 1 million sf of lab space in the area, have plans to keep the headquarters in Emeryville. According to published reports, their offer includes free rent as well as a promise to support the biotech industry by speculatively developing a four-story, 200,000-sf laboratory and office building on a 2-acre parcel it is acquiring east of EmeryStation near Hollis and Powell streets. The City of Sacramento is offering free rent in a building at One Capital Mall and $800,000 in tenant improvements in cooperation with the building owner, the Tsakopoulos family. In addition, the city will provide 40 parking spaces, free convention and meeting facilities, and discounts on hotel accommodations, office equipment and furniture, a city spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com. The San Mateo County Economic Development had not made the details of its proposal publicly available by Thursday afternoon.