A plaque honoring the six young lives that were lost when a balcony collapsed in downtown Berkeley in 2015 was unveiled Saturday in downtown Berkeley.
2020 Kittredge St.
Posted inCity
Deadly Berkeley balcony collapse lawsuit settled
The families of those killed or injured in the 2015 balcony collapsed reached a legal settlement with the building’s owner and the property manager.
Posted inBusiness
Some lawsuits connected to 2015 deadly balcony collapse have been settled
Some of the defendants in the lawsuits connected to the collapse have agreed to pay restitution to those killed or injured.
Posted inBusiness
State revokes license of firm that built Library Gardens, site of fatal balcony collapse
California has revoked the license of Segue Construction which oversaw construction of the building where a balcony sheared off June 16, 2015, killing six.
Posted inHousing & Development
Site of fatal balcony collapse rebranded: It’s now K Street Flats, not Library Gardens
Library Gardens, the site of the 2015 fatal balcony collapse, has been rebranded as K Street Flats and repainted a bright blue.
Posted inCommunity
Berkeley balcony collapse tragedy: One year later
One year ago today, Berkeley woke up to the horrifying news that a balcony holding 13 people had sheared off the face of Library Gardens, an apartment building in downtown Berkeley, sending six people in their 20s to their deaths. News of the tragedy rippled through the world, as most of those killed were young Irish students […]
Posted inCity, Crime, Crime & Safety, Housing & Development
DA will not file criminal charges in balcony collapse case
Update: Berkeley mayor reacts to the DA’s decision — see foot of the story. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O’Malley announced Tuesday that her office will not be filing criminal charges in relation to the June 16, 2015, balcony collapse in downtown Berkeley that killed six students, and left seven others with serious injuries. The DA’s investigation […]
Posted inCity
402 Berkeley buildings found to need fixes after launch of inspection program spurred by balcony collapse
Inspections performed in Berkeley since last year’s deadly balcony collapse at Library Gardens found more than 400 buildings that needed work out of nearly 2,200 with weather-exposed elements, such as balconies, stairways, decks and landings, according to a city report released Wednesday afternoon. The inspections were part of the city’s response to the Library Gardens […]
Posted inCommunity
Berkeley balcony collapse: Contractor used inferior wood and owner ignored signs of rot, including mushrooms sprouting from the surface, lawsuits allege
The contractor for Library Gardens used inferior wood to construct the balcony that collapsed June 16, and allowed it to be saturated by rain before enclosing it, according to 12 lawsuits filed in Alameda County Superior Court on Thursday by families of those killed in the disaster as well as those injured. The wood in […]
Posted inCrime & Safety, Housing & Development
DA hopes to find cause of water intrusion that led to Berkeley balcony collapse
The Alameda County district attorney’s office is hoping to determine the source of water intrusion that led a fifth-floor balcony to collapse in Berkeley in June, killing six and injuring seven. The tragedy at Library Gardens was an international story, due both to the number of victims who died or suffered serious injuries, and the fact […]
Posted inCrime & Safety, Housing & Development, Opinion
To City Council: A response to Berkeley balcony collapse
Once you own a hammer every problem looks like a nail. Over the past 20 years the City of Berkeley has had a number of deaths which have occurred in its rental housing stock. After each incident the response was the same: mandate inspections and charge the landlord. This rarely addresses the real problem but it […]
Posted inCrime & Safety, Housing & Development, Opinion
Op-ed: Berkeley should revisit its balcony code changes
There are a lot of questions swirling around regarding the City of Berkeley’s handling of its investigation into the Library Gardens balcony collapse. The recent new safety regulations passed by the City Council and believed by Berkeley Mayor Bates to be the toughest in the state, while welcomed, add much fuel to the controversy. Two […]