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The city is competing with a Burlingame developer for a prime piece of real estate, which residents want to turn into a “mini Golden Gate Park” and the developer wants to turn into office space. 

The City Council unanimously approved a recommendation on Dec. 19 asking the city manager to research funding sources for the possible purchase of up to 8.6 acres, which is currently the site of American Soil Products and several other businesses. 

The site runs along Aquatic Park and is bounded by Addison and Third streets, Bolivar Drive and Bancroft Way. The 8.6 acres is divided into five separate lots all owned by an individual named Charlie Jones, according to Steve Swanson of Berkeley Partners for Parks. 

For a city to buy such a piece of property in the current red hot real estate market won’t be easy.  

Especially since developer John Hamilton has been in contract to purchase the property for several months. He has already submitted preliminary development plans to the Design Review Committee. 

Hamilton is proposing four office buildings totally 450,000 square feet plus a 900-space, underground parking garage. 

Hamilton would not say when the contract to purchase the property would be finalized. But said he is working with city officials to find a “win, win” design plan. 

The city is in the preliminary stages of researching the project and has not said how much of the property it wants to purchase. According to Stephen Swanson, there are at least three undeveloped acres that would be a perfect addition to the park. 

“This a once in a lifetime chance,” Swanson said. “This could be Berkeley’s mini Golden Gate Park that could have a variety of activities that would draw people from all over the Bay Area.” 

BPFP has suggested several possibilities for improvements for a park at that location including a baseball field and handball and tennis courts. 

“That part of the city is underserved for these kind of facilities,” Swanson said. 

The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the city consider getting state and federal funding to buy the land. They argued that a 1965 Aquatic Park Master Plan strongly recommended it. And they underscored that there is no more available open space left in Berkeley. 

“This is a large parcel and the City of Berkeley is woefully lacking in suitable areas to turn into parks,” said Carol Thornton, chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission. “Plus there is a tremendous amount of development in the area and this would be an excellent chance to balance that with a park.” 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington said a park would be much more welcome than office space and a parking garage. He contended that there is a housing shortage in Berkeley and to build a more office space and parking is not good planning. 

“Any situation that pits more parking against living space in Berkeley is bound to be controversial,” he said. 

Design Review Committee members at a Dec. 16 meeting told Hamilton they thought the buildings were too large, crowded the stretch of park to the west of the site and didn’t fit in with the immediate area, according to a summary of the meeting. 

Hamilton said he has already made some changes to the design based on input from city officials and the Design Review Committee.  

“We’ve moved the building line back about 30-40 feet from the edge of the park,” he said.