As UC Hastings College of the Law gears up for a multi-year expansion project, a community-focused garden that's occupied a lot on the campus since 2009 is looking for a new home.

The Demonstration Gardens will vacate the lot by March 1st to make way for construction that starts in April, said UC Hastings Dean David Faigman.

Because the lot at 333 Golden Gate Ave. once housed the Central YMCA, the school is working with the San Francisco YMCA to bring the Y back to the neighborhood to better integrate the expanding campus into the community, Faigman said.

The Demonstration Gardens took over a vacant lot and basketball court that once was part of the Central YMCA. | Photo: UC Hastings

Created by volunteers on vacant asphalt basketball courts in 2009, the space has offered community-based programming in science and arts through a nonprofit, which is staffed by seniors and teens in training programs and managed by volunteers.

According to Faigman, the garden's director is seeking a new location to keep the garden intact, but many people have offered to take in parts of the installation. The aim is to keep it in the Tenderloin, Civic Center, or Mid-Market, he said.

UC Hastings current campus facilities via UC Hastings

The state is funding a new, 55,000-square-foot academic building that will rise where the gardens are today. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2019, and the new facility in service by January 1, 2020, he said.

After the academic building is complete, 198 McAllister St. will be redeveloped next. A four-story building constructed in 1958 will continue to serve as the main academic facility until the new building at 333 Golden Gate Ave. is complete.

Rendering of new UC Hastings academic building at 333 Golden Gate Ave. | Rendering via UC Hastings

Once the new academic building is in service, the existing four-story structure at 198 McAllister St. will be demolished to make way for a 14-story building that offers student and faculty subsidized housing.

Once its development is completed in 2022 or 2023, students and teachers will be moved in to make way for the renovation of ‘The Tower’ at 100 McAllister St., a 27-story tower built in 1928 that currently houses about 280 UC Hastings students in 252 apartments.

The developments at 198 and 100 McAllister will increase the number of beds available on campus from 280 to around 1,000, Faigan said, and will be split about 60/40 between UC Hastings and UC San Francisco.

"By 2025 the campus will be completely transformed,” Faigman said.

Rendering of expanded UC Hastings campus via UC Hastings

This is the first joint housing effort between UCSF and UC Hastings, although the two campuses have had a long-standing relationship through the Consortium on Law, Science, and Health Policy. The schools hope the additional housing will facilitate more shared academic platforms, Faigman said.

The CEQA process and full environmental review has been completed for all three buildings, and a request for quotes was issued on February 20th to about 300 developers seeking interest in the 198 and 100 McAllister projects. A request for proposals is expected to be issued this summer that's being shopped as a package but could be split if the developers prefer, Faigman said.

Once completed, the project will consist of subsidized student and faculty housing, but developers will be guaranteed 100 percent occupancy.

“We’ve done the math and the buildings will all definitely pencil out,” Faigman said.