Demo Work Begins at Schlage Lock Site in San Francisco

Demolition has started on the blighted 13-acre former Schlage Lock site in south San Francisco. The work follows several years of delays.

Brownfield Partners, a Denver-based urban in-fill developer and transaction partner, is managing the demolition and environmental remediation through its subsidiary BP PLT-I, LLC.

Schlage manufactured door hardware and lock parts on the site from 1926 - 1999 and the property became contaminated from Schlage’s manufacturing processes. The site had been inactive since 1999 and is now owned by Universal Paragon Corp., adjacent to its 600-acre, $500 million Brisbane Baylands development.

"By creating unique solutions for liability protection, financing mechanisms, and now environmental cleanup, we’re helping UPC convert the damaged Schlage property into a new, reusable asset," said Mary Hashem, BP’s Founding Partner. "The buildings will be leveled in a few months and the first phase of cleanup will be completed in 2010, with the remainder of the site ready for redevelopment in 2011."

Over the years, numerous attempts to redevelop the parcel failed due to environmental, legal and financial circumstances. Brownfield Partners created a new plan for the property’s demolition and remediation, obtained the required insurance that covered environmental/financial risks and secured regulatory support. All of these tasks enabled UPC to settle litigation issues and obtain title to the property.

"We are thrilled that demolition has finally begun," said Steve Hanson, Universal Paragon’s GM. "Brownfield Partners did what many others could not; establish a plan to reclaim the property while limiting the costs and risk associated with complicated environmental cleanup."

When Brownfield Partners’ work is complete, the property will be ready for redevelopment, which is expected to include a variety of multi-family residential and commercial uses as well as public open space.