Activists and Berkeley Officials Find Fault in New UC Buildings

There are tremors in Berkeley over two new building projects recently approved by the University of California regents. The city of Berkeley and a group called Save Strawberry Canyon have raised a fuss, saying that the Helios Energy Research Facility and the Computational Research and Theory Facility, both on the grounds of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, are too close to a fault line, according to the Contra Costa Times.

The folks complaining about the buildings also seem to have broader environmental and aesthetic objections. Dan Marks, Berkeley’s planning director, said “a new road cut into the hillside for the energy building will have three-story retaining walls, which will contribute to the canyon losing its charm,” the newspaper reported.

“If you visualize these huge buildings, it will not enhance the natural qualities of the canyon,” said Sylvia McLaughlin, a member of Save Strawberry Canyon.

Some members of the groups have raised the possibility of suing the university. The buildings are scheduled to open in 2011.