With the defeat of Measure R, the plan for a downtown Berkeley hotel at Shattuck and Center is back on track. Image: JRDV Urban International Now that Measure R, the initiative that aimed to impose stricter standards on tall buildings, has been defeated, the project to build a hotel downtown is back on track. Developer […]
Civic Center overlay
Posted inCity
Berkeley city attorney: Main post office may have sold
The main Post Office on Allston Way. Photo by Darius Wekwerth The Berkeley city attorney has informed the City Council he believes someone has purchased the downtown U.S. post office at 2000 Allston Way, and that it is time for Berkeley to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service to stop the sale. A letter to that […]
Posted inCity
With Berkeley set to change civic center zoning, US Postal Service ponders lawsuit
The Berkeley City Council is poised to set up new zoning standards in civic center. Marked above: (1) Old City Hall; (2) Veterans’ Memorial Building; (3) State Farm Insurance Building; (4) Civic Center Park; (5) Civic Center Building; (6) Downtown Berkeley YMCA; (7) Berkeley High School; (8) Berkeley Main Post Office; (9) the Berkeley Community […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
Downtown initiative on ballot; Berkeley city, schools may lose millions in fees
Downtown Berkeley, May 2014. Photo: Emilie Raguso The majority of the Berkeley City Council exerted its political muscle Tuesday night by voting for a ballot description for the downtown initiative drawn up by Mayor Tom Bates that is less flattering than the ones offered by the city attorney and Councilman Jesse Arreguín, the main proponent […]
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Berkeley mayor to push for civic center overlay, also hopes it will reduce support for downtown ‘green’ initiative
Bates wants the City Council to adopt a zoning overlay to protect historic buildings in the civic center area, like Veterans’ Memorial Hall. He admits he hopes the push will undermine support for a downtown zoning initiative scheduled for November’s ballot. Photo: Wikimedia Commons Bates wants the City Council to adopt a zoning overlay to protect […]