UCLA Research Park Plans Move Forward At Former Westside Pavilion

• UCLA is moving ahead with a large-scale research campus at the former Westside Pavilion
• Project will transform the site into an 800,000 square foot innovation hub
• Construction and occupancy planned in phases through 2035

What UCLA Research Park Will Include

UCLA has released a more detailed look at plans for UCLA Research Park, a major adaptive reuse and redevelopment project at the former Westside Pavilion mall on Pico Boulevard.

The project will transform the shuttered shopping center into an approximately 800,000-square-foot research and innovation campus combining laboratories, offices, meeting areas, and support facilities.

Planned uses include more than 271,000 square feet of wet and dry laboratory space, over 214,000 square feet of offices, and nearly 53,000 square feet of meeting and collaboration areas.

The broader campus will also feature food service areas, outdoor open space, and more than 1,100 parking spaces across the nine-acre site.

What The Anchor Tenants Reveal About The Vision

The project is centered around life sciences, medical research, and advanced technology development.

One of the primary tenants will be the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, backed in part by a $120 million donation from Dr. Gary Michelson and Alya Michelson. The institute is expected to occupy roughly half of the research floor area.

The UCLA Quantum Innovation Hub will also establish a major presence on the campus as part of the broader SoCal Quantum Alliance involving multiple universities, research institutions, and technology companies.

Additional space will be occupied by the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, along with other UCLA-affiliated and outside research organizations.

What The Redevelopment Strategy Looks Like

Unlike a full ground-up redevelopment, the majority of the project focuses on adaptive reuse of the existing mall structure.

New construction components will be relatively targeted and include a new lobby pavilion, conference center, expanded loading areas, redesigned pedestrian connections, and upgraded circulation infrastructure throughout the property.

The project was designed by Flad Architects, with landscape architecture by OBJ.

This adaptive reuse approach allows UCLA to reposition a large underutilized retail property into a modern institutional research campus while preserving portions of the existing structure.

What This Means For West Los Angeles Development

The redevelopment reflects a broader shift happening across Los Angeles, where aging retail centers are being repurposed into housing, research, medical, and mixed-use environments.

The former Westside Pavilion has already undergone significant transformation in recent years, with portions of the site converted into residential and commercial uses.

For UCLA, the project also continues a broader strategy of expanding beyond its main Westwood campus through satellite facilities across Los Angeles County.

What This Signals About The Future Of Research Real Estate

Research Park highlights growing demand for life sciences and innovation-focused real estate in Southern California.

Universities, healthcare institutions, and technology organizations are increasingly competing for modern laboratory and research space, particularly in urban markets with strong academic ecosystems.

By repurposing a former shopping mall into a research hub, UCLA is effectively repositioning obsolete retail infrastructure into a long-term institutional asset tied to healthcare, technology, and advanced research sectors.

Construction and phased occupancy are expected to continue through 2035.