What is Pixar Proposing to Build?

Summary

Pixar Animation Studios, located at 1200 Park Ave. in Emeryville, is currently planning to:

•  expand its headquarters campus from 16 to 21 acres
•  expand its office space from 218,000 square feet to 750,550. 
•  expand its workforce from 625 to 1,975. 
•  build a six story parking garage near the corner of San Pablo and 45th.

Project Background

In 1998, Pixar Animation Studios received approvals from the City of Emeryville to build a new headquarters across from City Hall. The company built a single, two-story building and a surface parking lot on a broad, landscaped campus of 16 acres (Phase I), which opened in 2000.  The current campus is bordered by Hollis St. on the west side and a proposed Emery St. extension on the East. (The Emery St. extension is a proposed street from Park Ave. to 45th St. that has been designated for future construction by the City's General Plan).

Also in 1998, Pixar secured from the City of Emeryville permission to build an additional office building (Phase II) and a parking deck above the existing lot, to eventually bring the total campus’ capacity to 1,000 workers. In order to create a sufficiently large, contiguous campus, the City closed off one street (Watts) and moved a proposed bike path several blocks east to the site of the future Emery St. 

The City did not conduct an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), instead opting for a lower level of scrutiny with a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND).

Proposed Expansion

Pixar has now requested from the City permission to add an additional two phases to the original project (Phase III & IV) and to make substantial changes to the company’s initial approvals. The total pending project (Phases II through IV) will result in the following changes:

•  Expansion of office space from the current 218,000 s.f. in one building to 750,550 s.f. in four.
•  Projected expansion of the Pixar workforce from 625 to 1,975 employees.
•  Addition of five acres of land to the campus. This land was originally entitled to a prior developer to build 102 units of housing, including 20 affordable units.
•  Construction of a six story parking garage that will accommodate 1,810 vehicles that could be as high as 75 feet.
•  Demolition of a 60 year-old brick industrial building currently housing a Semifreddi’s bakery.
•  Elimination of the future Emery St. from the General Plan.
•  Reduction of the Phase II building (to built at the corner of Park Ave. & Hollis St.), from 200,000 to 145,000 square feet.

Pixar has not presented a precise timeline for expansion of the campus and construction of various buildings.  Construction of the Phase II building is scheduled to start within 18 months and Phase III and IV could be built anytime from the near future to 18 years under the development agreement.  As Phase II was already approved by the City in 1998, Pixar is currently authorized to build a second building that could house, combined with the first building, up to 1,000 employees.

For more details on the scope of the project and timing of construction, download the main body of the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) in the Downloads page of this web site.  You can also request a full packet of background materials and approval documents presented to the City Council on May 18th from the City Clerk's Office at 510-596-7800.