Features

UC Berkeley is moving forward with plans to build a 479-bed, $75 million student housing project across the street from People’s Park. 

The university is calling for applications from architects to design the buildings planned for the Anna Head West parking lot, across Haste Street from the park. 

According to the advertisement for services issued by the school’s Capital Projects Department, the architect would be responsible initially for preparing a master plan by November. 

According to the request for qualifications (RFQ) posted on the university’s website, the project is included in the housing proposals outlined in the school’s Long Range Development Plan 2020. 

The project will include two facilities, a 134-bed first-year student residence hall and a 345-bed apartment building for students in sophmore through senior classes. 

Only some of the 185 parking spaces now located on the site would be replaced. 

The RFQ states that the plans must address the relationship of the new complex to the adjacent historic buildings that housed the Anna Head school from 1892 to 1927. Those buildings are city landmarks and listed on the National register of Historic Places. 

As currently planned, construction would begin in May 2010 and be completed by August 2012. 

The RFQ document is available online at http://www.cp.berkeley.edu/RFQ.html.