July 2023 – Design Concept Approved
At a special meeting of the Berkeley City Council on July 25, the Council voted unanimously to declare the Council’s intention to: support the preferred design concept and necessary future studies and projects articulated in the plan developed by staff and consultants and direct staff to pursue the next steps identified in the plan, including…
July 2023 – Council Vote Postponed to July 25
The Civic Center agenda item was carried forward to a special session of the City Council on Tuesday, July 25, at 4 pm.
July 2023 – Council to Vote on Design Concept
At its July 11 meeting the Berkeley City Council will vote on a resolution approving Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept Plan, and declaring the Council’s intention to support the preferred design concept and necessary future studies and projects articulated in the plan. The agenda item will probably come up after 9 pm. The agenda packet,…
March 2023 – Council Work Session 3/21
The City Council had a special “work session” meeting on March 21. The CCCC had sent a letter to all concerned stating several points that we believe the Council should take into consideration. The Vision Team’s report of more than 160 pages, summarizing recommendations and estimated costs, is here.
February 2023 – Presentation for Super-Subcommittee
The slide deck for the February 9, 2023 Super Subcommittee meeting is here. It includes some public survey data. The new drawings for the Maudelle Shirek Building allocate a significant amount of space to city offices and “support spaces” despite only 42% of respondents favoring such uses. The Historical Society museum is distributed onto parts…
February 2023 – Planning Phase 2 Continues
The Civic Center Vision Team will present and discuss updated design concepts with the “Super Sub Committee” composed of representatives from several City Commissions in an online meeting, open to the public, on Thursday, February 9, at 11:30 am. They are planning a workshop for Berkeley High students the following week and are hoping to…
January 2023 – Parks Commission Also Okays Turtle Island Design Concept
The Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Commission met on January 11 and voted to approve the new concept. CCCC members, who met on January 12, remain skeptical about its feasibility and will ask that cost estimates be developed ASAP. Our next meeting will be at noon on January 30, prior to the City Council receiving a…
December 2022 – Turtle Island, continued
The Civic Arts Commission voted unanimously on December 7 to approve the new conceptual design as presented by Lee Sprague and Marlene Watson. Representatives of the Berkeley Indigenous People’s Day Pow Wows group spoke in support and stated that the design has the blessing of local Ohlone leader Corrina Gould. CCCC members commented about the…
December 2022 – Turtle Island Monument
The City departments of Parks, Recreation & Waterfront and Civic Arts are presenting a new design for the conversion of the former fountain in Civic Center Park to a Turtle Island Monument and for improvements to the surrounding plaza. They met with the Landmarks Preservation Commission on December 1—see the documentation, including the conceptual design,…
November 2022 – About the Turtle Island Monument Project
Three City Commissions will be reviewing a revised design for the Turtle Island Monument this month. We have sent the following letter to the commissioners, mayor and vice-mayor: Dear Landmarks Preservation, Civic Arts, Parks Recreation & Waterfront Commissioners, We understand that designs for the Turtle Island Fountain, a monument to the Indigenous community located at…