Orchard Partners is advancing plans for a proposed advanced manufacturing and research campus at Brisbane’s former Guadalupe Quarry site. The Quarry Innovation Center would include approximately 895,000 square feet of light-fabrication space alongside research, office, storage, sales and distribution uses.
The proposal also includes substantial electrical infrastructure and changes to the former quarry property. The project remains under review by the City of Brisbane and is subject to planning approvals and environmental analysis.
Key Takeaways
- Orchard Partners is the applicant for the proposed Quarry Innovation Center in Brisbane
- The project calls for approximately 895,000 square feet of light-fabrication space
- Planned uses include manufacturing, research and development, offices, storage, sales and distribution
- The proposal includes a 49.9-megawatt electrical substation and switching station
- The project remains under review by the City of Brisbane
Orchard Partners Proposes Brisbane Manufacturing Campus
Orchard Partners is pursuing the Quarry Innovation Center at the former Guadalupe Quarry property in Brisbane, California. The project would replace the quarry operation with a large light-fabrication facility and supporting commercial and industrial uses.
The City of Brisbane identifies Orchard Partners as the project applicant. Current plans call for an approximately 895,000-square-foot light-fabrication building designed to accommodate assembling, processing, treating and packaging activities.
The development is proposed at 1 Quarry Road. Moving the project forward would require several planning actions, including a General Plan Amendment, pre-zoning and a Design Permit.
The proposal comes as technology companies continue investing in physical production capacity across the region. A recent Hayward drone manufacturing expansion doubled Skydio’s manufacturing space and workforce while the company searches for a larger Bay Area facility.
The Brisbane project would add another large proposed production site to that regional manufacturing landscape, although it remains in the planning and environmental review process.
Quarry Innovation Center Plans Nearly 900,000 Square Feet
The current Quarry Innovation Center proposal replaces an earlier plan for a substantially larger warehouse at the same site. Brisbane’s project records state that Orchard Partners revised the development from an approximately 1.319 million-square-foot warehouse to an approximately 895,000-square-foot light-fabrication building.
The revised building would span two stories. Light fabrication would serve as the principal use, while accessory uses would include offices, research and development, storage, sales and distribution. Plans also include a parking garage, amenity areas and utility infrastructure.
The proposal combines production space with functions supporting manufacturing operations. Brisbane’s project description specifically identifies assembling, processing, treating and packaging among the activities contemplated for the facility.
Development of the property would also involve closing the Guadalupe Quarry and annexing approximately 104 acres into Brisbane’s city limits.
Approximately 36 acres of the annexed area are proposed for protection through a conservation easement, while another 46 acres would be offered to San Mateo County for public open space.
The development therefore involves more than construction of a manufacturing building. Quarry closure, annexation, conservation areas and supporting infrastructure are all part of the broader proposal under review.
Manufacturing and Research Uses Form the Project’s Core
Advanced manufacturing is at the center of the revised proposal. Brisbane’s planning materials identify light fabrication as the primary use, with research and development, offices, storage, sales and distribution supporting the facility.
The planned combination of fabrication and R&D space would allow production and technical work to operate within the same development. A parking garage and utility facilities are also included in the site plan.
The current concept differs significantly from the property’s earlier warehouse proposal. Brisbane’s materials describe the revised development specifically as a light-fabrication project and state that it would not include a data center.
Research and development would operate alongside manufacturing rather than as a separate development. That arrangement reflects the physical-space requirements of technology companies working on products that combine engineering, research and hardware.
The project also sits within a broader Bay Area robotics sector that includes companies developing artificial intelligence systems for physical machines and other advanced technologies.
For the Quarry Innovation Center, however, the proposed use is specifically defined around light fabrication supported by research, office, storage and distribution functions.
Electrical Infrastructure Supports the Proposed Development
The Quarry Innovation Center proposal includes a 49.9-megawatt electrical substation and switching station. Plans also call for overhead electrical transmission service and improvements connecting the site with existing high-tension transmission lines west of the property.
Brisbane’s project records state that the property owner would construct and maintain the proposed substation. The switching station would be owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
These facilities are part of the current development plan alongside the manufacturing building, parking garage and other utility infrastructure.
The electrical connection is also included in the project’s environmental review scope, giving Brisbane a defined infrastructure component to evaluate with the proposed building and associated improvements.
Site work would additionally include changes related to the closure and redevelopment of the Guadalupe Quarry, which are being evaluated through the same planning and environmental review process.
Brisbane Continues Review of Guadalupe Quarry Site
The Quarry Innovation Center remains under review by the City of Brisbane. Required approvals include a General Plan Amendment, pre-zoning and a Design Permit associated with Orchard Partners’ revised proposal.
Brisbane circulated a revised Notice of Preparation for a Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report after changes were made to the project. The updated environmental review covers the approximately 895,000-square-foot light-fabrication building and its associated infrastructure.
The environmental review is being conducted under the California Environmental Quality Act. A new Environmental Impact Report is being prepared to account for changes from the earlier warehouse proposal.
A Draft Environmental Impact Report for the previous version of the project was published in 2024 before Orchard Partners revised the development scope.
The current proposal also includes annexation of approximately 104 acres of quarry property into Brisbane, with portions planned for conservation and potential public open space.
As a result, the city’s review encompasses land-use changes, quarry closure, annexation, environmental impacts, transportation access and electrical infrastructure in addition to the proposed manufacturing building.
The Quarry Innovation Center remains a proposed development rather than an operating manufacturing campus. Its next stages will depend on the outcome of Brisbane’s planning and environmental review process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Brisbane advanced manufacturing campus?
The proposed Brisbane advanced manufacturing campus is the Quarry Innovation Center at the former Guadalupe Quarry site. Orchard Partners is the applicant, and current plans call for an approximately 895,000-square-foot light-fabrication building with related research, office, storage, sales and distribution uses.
How large is the Quarry Innovation Center?
The current proposal calls for approximately 895,000 square feet of light-fabrication space. Plans also include a parking garage, utility areas and electrical infrastructure.
What activities are planned for the Brisbane campus?
The project description includes assembling, processing, treating and packaging activities, along with research and development, office, storage, sales and distribution uses. Light fabrication is identified as the principal use.
Where is the proposed Quarry Innovation Center located?
The project is proposed at 1 Quarry Road in Brisbane, California, on the former Guadalupe Quarry property. The development also includes closure of the quarry and annexation of approximately 104 acres into Brisbane.
Has the Brisbane manufacturing campus been approved?
The project remains under review by the City of Brisbane. Planning and environmental review are continuing for the revised proposal, so the campus is not yet an approved or completed manufacturing facility.
