Community Center, Housing Complex Nearly Complete at UCSF Mission Bay

Campus life at UCSF Mission Bay will take a dramatic turn for the better when the long-awaited community center and much-needed housing complex opens this fall. Construction of the highly anticipated Mission Bay Community Center -- featuring a state-of-the-art fitness center and pub café -- and the housing complex is nearly complete. The campus community center is expected to open to the public on October 1. Within the next six months, those working and studying at Mission Bay also will see the opening of new dining and retail outlets, and conference service at Mission Bay. As a preview, Campus Life Services offers this brief update of upcoming services. Housing Located at the Gene Friend Way Plaza, the Hearst Tower Mission Bay Housing at UCSF is a complex of 431 apartments with a mix of studio, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom units. Housing is open to UCSF students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members. The projected occupancy date is early August 2005. For more information, call Housing Services at 415/514-4550. Fitness & Recreation The Bakar Fitness & Recreation Center will offer three floors of fitness, health, and recreation for individuals and families. The boldly colored building designed by award-winning architect Ricardo Legorreta, features a light-filled atrium, dramatic tower, an indoor teaching and outdoor lap pools as well as various cardiovascular and weight machines and free weights. For the first time, UCSF will offer drop-in child care for those using the fitness center or visiting the building. The projected opening date is October 1. Membership to the Bakar Fitness & Recreation Center is open to UCSF students and employees and Mission Bay neighbors. For information about memberships, email or visit the website. Shopping & Dining• Mission Bay Community Center Pub Café Plans are in development to open a pub café on the first floor of the Mission Bay Community Center. The café will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner service. Menu items will be determined by customer feedback. By providing beer and wine service - the license will be held by the food service operator - the pub café has the potential of becoming a central point for social gatherings. • Mission Bay Housing Shopping & Dining Three to six retail specialty eateries will be located on the plaza side of the Mission Bay housing complex. Restaurants will vary in size and provide dine in and take out and catering services. In addition, UCSF has plans to provide on-campus ATMs, dry cleaners, and a convenience store. These retail businesses will be added in phases beginning in late 2005 through March 2006. For more information about shopping and dining at UCSF Mission Bay, send an email. Conference Services The UCSF Conference Center at Mission Bay, located within the community center, will provide a high-quality alternative to downtown facilities for special events hosted by UCSF, its affiliates, and appropriate public customers. The plan is to have the center managed by a reputable conference center operator. When chosen, the candidate will not only operate the conference center, but also provide banquet facilities, and food service at the pub and Cafe 24, the eatery located inside Genentech Hall. The projected opening date for conference services is late October 2005. For more information, contact UCSF Conference Center Services. Child Care Currently, the Marin Day Schools' Spear Street center supports a small number of UCSF families, through a negotiated agreement with UCSF Child Care Service. In the near future, UCSF will expand service to 75 more children when the new Mission Bay Child Care Center opens. The projected opening for a child care center at UCSF Mission Bay is February 2006. UCSF's goal is to increase overall UCSF child care by 300 percent by 2006 through expansion of existing centers and the development of new ones at major UCSF sites. As always, families can take advantage of UCSF Child Care Resource and Referral Service, which help more than 400 UCSF families annually find a variety of childcare programs throughout the Bay Area. For more information about resources or referrals, call 415/476-2692. Source: Lisa Cisneros