Public Comment

After years of public process, the David Brower Center and Oxford Plaza Family Housing are scheduled to break ground in April. Any major project, especially in Berkeley, receives close study. The City Council, all the various City agencies, commissions, and departments that have a voice in this civic process have carefully considered these two projects, and all have given their approvals. 

Now a few individuals are circulating a petition against both projects, providing incorrect and misleading information while soliciting signatures. We would like to set the record straight for your readers concerning the following: 

1. The David Brower Center and Oxford Plaza are two separate projects, with independent financing, and ownership. The David Brower Center is a $28 million investment in downtown Berkeley that will stimulate the economy, and greatly enhance Berkeley’s reputation for progressive leadership. The Brower Center is privately financed through donations, foundation grants, low-cost loans, and federal tax credits.  

2. Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice activists have traditionally been somewhat distanced from the environmental/conservation communities. David Brower sought to build bridges between these movements, so that we could see our commonality and join together for progressive change. While the Brower Center and Oxford Plaza are separate entities, we made a decision at the outset to link our missions, so that the Brower Center can succeed only if Oxford Plaza’s 96 units of family affordable housing are built. We have worked and supported each other’s projects for over four years, and we will continue to do so. We are proud of our work together.  

3. The Brower Center building will be owned by the David Brower Center, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, controlled by its Board of Directors (see www.browercenter.org for a list), which is composed of leaders from the nonprofit community, including Ken Brower, David Brower’s son. No individual is making a profit creating the Brower Center. Construction expertise is being provided by Equity Community Builders, they have no ownership interest and make no profit other than a fee for their professional services.  

4. The Brower Center is being built to support the current generation of activists, and to provide a foundation for future generations; it is affordable today, and will be for decades to come. Over four years ago, we planned to lease office space for $2.00/sf (inclusive of all services). Today rents start at $2.10/sf (inclusive), still very affordable to most nonprofits. The well-equipped, attractive Brower Conference Center is budgeted to operate at a break-even level, again making it very affordable for nonprofits, as well as the entire Berkeley community.  

5. The Brower Center has no intention or plan to rent office space to U.C. Berkeley, because that is not our mission, not the reason we are going to the trouble and expense to build the Center. We were asked if it was contractually possible to rent to U.C., and we answered “yes.” We could theoretically rent to Exxon Oil, as well, but obviously are not planning to do so.  

6. The Brower Center represents state-of-the-art green design, and is on track for a LEED Platinum rating, the highest possible for high performance buildings.  

7. The City of Berkeley is not giving away anything. Current above-ground parking is being replaced by an underground garage, which will belong to the city. If the city sold the property, it would have the sales price but no parking. Now the city retains the parking and associated income, and also creates 97 units of housing precisely where it is most useful, and brings in the Brower Center investment and all the associated benefits of that project for Berkeley.  

The city of Berkeley has the opportunity to transform a parking lot into a vibrant center that will reinvigorate downtown, and honor the best of Berkeley’s heritage for progressive leadership. All of us who have worked for years on both projects hope that mean-spirited misinformation does not result in yet more delay, and increased costs. We respectfully ask for the entire community’s support in creating both projects, knowing that they will serve the community well for decades to come. 

Peter K. Buckley is Chair of the David Brower Center