City Of Berkeley News - November 14, 2022

Government and Politics

November 15, 2022

Help finalize the design for key Civic Center buildings, park

At a November 16 Open House, learn and give feedback on a unified design concept involving three historic spaces in Berkeley’s Civic Center: the Veterans Memorial and Maudelle Shirek buildings, as well as MLK Jr. Civic Center Park.

Learn more and give guidance at an open house about plans to revitalize two key downtown buildings and the adjacent Civic Center Park in an effort to make the area the prime space for Berkeley’s civic life, culture, and the arts.

The November 16 presentation will focus on proposed uses and improvements to the park, the Veterans Memorial Building, and the Maudelle Shirek Building, which some also refer to as “Old City Hall.”

We’re looking to refine the design ideas. A new building attached to the Shirek building would facilitate uses aligned with civic life, including new City Council chambers. Veterans Memorial would become a center for the arts. Park features could include a performance space as well as new play areas.

Get the most recent details in a Sept. 29, 2022 presentation, which is hosted on our Civic Center Vision Project page. Give input at our open house:

Civic Center Open House

Wednesday, November 16, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Central Library, Mystery Reading Room, 2^nd Floor
2090 Kittredge St.

Please walk, take transit, bike or scooter – including via shared bike and scooter services. Downtown Berkeley BART and several AC Transit lines are nearby. Drivers can use the Center Street Garage or other local garages.

Shaping the heart of Berkeley’s community

Getting to this stage has been a highly collaborative process.

City staff coordinated tours of the relevant buildings, and dozens of volunteers surveyed community members about how the spaces are used. We ran workshops at Berkeley High. We held community meetings. Several hundred voted online regarding proposed designs.

This work also yielded developing a collective vision for the area:

Civic Center will be the heart of Berkeley’s community. Civic Center will be the prime space for civic life, culture, and the arts. It will reflect the city’s diverse identities, celebrate its history, and contribute to shaping its future. A place of shared resources and a platform for free expression accessible to all, Civic Center aims to manifest the city’s values, advance social justice, and demonstrate the power of true public space.

Next steps will include convening key commissions in the coming months as well as a City Council work session next spring. The goal is to use this input to select a preferred design concept and funding plan by the summer of 2023.

In future phases, this project will develop detailed architectural drawings, prepare permit applications, and solicit bids for construction contracts, with construction slated to begin in 2026.

Keep up with project updates by emailing: [email protected] with the subject line: “Please add me to Civic Center Vision Plan Project mailing list.”

Come to our open house, learn the vision, and let us know how you think Civic Center should be used and improved.

Links:

- Civic Center Vision Project

- Civic Center Vision Plan Project mailing list

Ollies, air and flips: help design a skate area where beginners learn to grind

Let us know which skateboarding features – ramps, rails, stairs, ledges or something else – would be best for beginners at a new West Berkeley skate area.

Even though we’re looking to design this James Kenney Park skate area as a place for grommets and other newbies, drop in your comments even if you’re a pro.

Should it have a quarterpipe or a roll-in? How about a flat rail or a deck? What other features make for a fun skate area – like seating, shade or choice of materials?

Let us know by completing a short online survey by November 16th.

Read more at berkeleyca.gov.

Apply by Nov. 29 for seismic retrofit grants

Income-qualified households can get reimbursed for the full cost of a seismic upgrade to their home, while others can qualify for up to $3,000 for making their foundations more resilient to earthquakes.

To qualify for a lottery to get these refunds, Berkeley homeowners should sign up for the state's Earthquake Brace + Bolt rebate program by November 29. Those households with annual incomes below $72,080 can qualify for up to 100 percent of the seismic retrofit cost.

Apply online for Earthquake Brace + Bolt
Phone: (877) 232-4300
Eligibility: owner-occupied single-family residences and small multifamily buildings (1-4 units) in Berkeley and other eligible zip codes

Bracing and bolting have a big impact in a community like Berkeley, where older homes may not have the seismic protections required of newer construction.

Read more at berkeleyca.gov.

More news from the City of Berkeley

- Paid visitor parking adds another way to travel to certain Southside blocks, October 13, 2022

- Berkeley seniors have more options for classes, services, and social opportunities, September 20, 2022

- Learn about discounted rooftop solar and battery storage for homeowners, September 9, 2022

We're hiring! Featured jobs:

- Accountant II, closes November 28, 2022

- Animal Services Manager, closes November 21, 2022

- Building Maintenance Mechanic, closes November 28, 2022

- Principal Program Manager, closes November 28, 2022

- Recreation and Youth Services Manager, closes December 5, 2022

See all open positions or learn more at berkeleyca.gov/jobs.