From Fuzzy Requirements to Fully Operational: Hydrogen Tech HQ Secured in South SF
The file
Zero Emission Industries had the funding and no home for hydrogen R&D and light manufacturing. The requirement list was hard: roll-up access, outdoor work area, a real parking lot, office and shop under one roof, and a municipality comfortable permitting hydrogen. I searched Oakland to the Peninsula and kept hitting zoning conflicts or retrofit timelines the company couldn’t carry. South San Francisco was the one jurisdiction with a clean path to operations. The building was a 10,800 sq ft single-tenant warehouse with a rare 50/50 office-to-shop split that matched their workflow. I negotiated the lease for flexibility: smaller deposit, no personal guarantee, sublease rights, and room to grow. They were operational within weeks.
Value delivered
- 01Defined and scoped client’s operational needs across three counties
- 02Found a unique flex space with 50/50 shop-to-office split and outdoor project capacity
- 03Identified South SF as only jurisdiction with favorable hydrogen use zoning and minimal red tape
- 04Sourced the site through on-market platforms with a tightly defined requirement set
- 05Structured tenant-favorable lease: infrastructure credits, sublease rights, no personal guarantee