From Fuzzy Requirements to Fully Operational: Hydrogen Tech HQ Secured in South SF
The file
Zero Emission Industries had funding in hand—but no home for their hydrogen R&D and light manufacturing. What they needed wasn’t easy: roll-up access, outdoor work area, a major parking lot, a hydrogen-permissive municipality, and a facility zoned for both shop and office. I searched from Oakland to San Francisco to the Peninsula—but everything had zoning conflicts, bureaucratic friction, or costly retrofit timelines. South San Francisco delivered what no other city could: a clean path to operations with no permitting gauntlet. I sourced a 10,800 SF single-tenant warehouse with a rare 50/50 office-to-shop split, perfectly aligned with their workflow. Then I structured the lease to maximize flexibility—cutting the deposit, removing the personal guarantee, and baking in long-term growth options. The company was operational within weeks.
If your facility requirements feel “impossible,” let’s define them—and then solve for them.
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 via on-market platforms—proving strategy beats exclusivity
- 05Structured tenant-favorable lease: infrastructure credits, sublease rights, no personal guarantee