Shell Development Research Center (Now Grifols)

The Emeryville Research Center of Shell Development Company was a significant research facility with significant contributions to science. It opened in 1928 and at its peak, the facility included nearly 90 buildings and employed a staff of about 1500.

The facility spawned the invention of several fuel additives, epoxy resins and a synthesized rubber. They also made many contributions to the U.S. space program, including development of rocket fuels, and handling techniques and storage methods for these highly explosive compounds. Shell Development's labs also contributed significant support to California-based land speed record holder Craig Breedlove and the Spirit of America vehicles.

Shell Development also bore the indirect imprint of Manhattan Project director Robert Oppenheimer. Manhattan Project alumni worked at Shell / Emeryville, and Oppenheimer himself is asserted to have been an offstage force in unionizing parts of Shell Development's workforce.

Shell Development relocated to Houston in 1972. The properties later became an early home of biotechnology pioneers Cetus and Chiron. It was later acquired by pharmaceutical giant Novartis. Grifols acquired Novartis’ diagnostics business in 2013 and currently resides there.

Among the artifacts from Shell's tenure are several logo medallions on the facade.

BioMed Realty acquired the Novartis portion of the campus in 2019 and are in the process of their “Emeryville Center of Innovation” Expansion Project.