South San Francisco changes direction.

'Industrial City' plots high-tech future

CELLULAR ONE, THE BAY AREA'S BIGGEST cellular phone vendor, was bursting at the seams when it started its search for a new corporate headquarters. With revenues bouncing up 30 percent to more than $150 million this year, the 6-year-old venture controlled by PacTel Cellular was practically stuffing employees into closets in its Burlingame and Oakland offices, said Justin L. Jaschke, Cellular One's president and chief executive. The company searched for space on the Peninsula, in San Francisco and the East Bay. But ultimately it settled on South San Francisco, the city traditionally known more for smokestacks than for skyscrapers. The key draws: a central location near freeways and San Francisco International Airport, ample parking for sales and technical employees, and a brand-new office building to fit the company's high-profile image, Jaschke said. Cellular One, which plans to consolidate 260 workers in its new headquarters this fall, is the latest newcomer in a city that has been trying to attract corporations and bioscience companies to replace its lost …