Stop the demolition of the historic UA theaterRead or Edit the Letter Dear Berkeley city staff, ZAB, and City Council, I am writing to demand city staff, the Zoning Adjustments Board, and the City Council follow the current Historic CEQA EIR laws in regards to the United Artists Theater at 2274 Shattuck Avenue. The UA is on the California Register of Historical Resources. It is National Register-eligible and is also now a city landmark. The building is a cultural and historical resource under the CEQA statute. The proposal to demolish this 1932 Art Deco masterpiece is a “substantial adverse change.” The City’s own peer-review consultants, The Rincon Group, stated in their two reports, that this building requires a full CEQA review The city must insist that all oversight laws and processes are followed and not give baseless, self-interested exemptions to the developer. At the final zoning board hearing on 12/12/2024, in response to the developer Patrick Kennedy’s application, the project was granted an exemption from CEQA. At this hearing, the citizens of Berkeley and the Bay Area all saw how the head of ZAB, Sharon Gong, purposefully hid the city’s peer review reports from its very own members. Two emails which mentioned and included the Rincon reports written by our members, were the only two left out emails to be put on the public record. The public advocacy group, www.savetheuaberkeley.org recently filed an appeal to this decision. We urge you to consider this appeal and follow the laws regarding CEQA. At current count, Save the UA Berkeley has close to 3,000 signatures on our petition to save the theater. Please see https://www.change.org/p/save-the-historic-ua-berkeley-theater-from-the-wrecking-ball. We want you to know that Berkeley and Bay Area residents who have learned about the fate of the UA are shocked at the City’s under-handed tactics. It is unethical for city officials to base their decisions on the developer’s biased and inaccurate historic evaluation. The Shattuck Cinema was recently demolished, only for the development project that was to replace it has been stalled indefinitely. Will the UA be destroyed even if Patrick Kennedy folds this project? We demand that the City of Berkeley does everything in its power to make sure this does not happen. City leaders must recognize the importance of its landmarks and take decisive action to protect them. This involves innovative urban planning, active community participation, and following the law. By doing this, Berkeley can achieve a harmonious blend of growth and preservation that honors its past and provides low-income housing. In conclusion, while the necessity of building more affordable housing is clear, it should not result in the loss of Berkeley's most significant landmarked building. The United Artists Berkeley stands as a testament to the city's rich history, cultural vitality, and is an enduring asset to the community. The UA’s preservation is crucial, not only as a tribute to the past but as a cornerstone of Berkeley’s identity. City officials must follow all the laws to navigate the delicate balance of fostering downtown development and preserving the irreplaceable heritage that defines Berkeley. You can add formatting using markdown syntax - read more BCC yourself Sign Now 343 signatures Join us You’ll receive periodic email telling you what is going on and suggesting ways you can help. You can unsubscribe anytime – but we hope you won’t. Thank you for signing up! Name Email Sign UP Follow
