News

Progress at LBNL’s Richmond Facility

Published

11 years ago

July 5, 2013

Oakland Post

Artist’s rendering of the state-of-the-art campus of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Richmond facility.

Judith Morgan

By For Richmond Staff

With its state-of-the-art campus, bike paths leading to the Bay Trail, lecture forums and welcoming cafes, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Richmond development is shaping up to be a boon for the city.
And the For Richmond coalition has thrown its full support behind the project: Not only will it create jobs for residents, but it will also encourage development of other clean technologies and businesses and draw more people and revenue dollars to Richmond.
“We’re all very excited because we are expecting this significant project to draw all kinds of new businesses to Richmond, which means more jobs for residents who need them,” said Judith Morgan, President and CEO of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and a For Richmond steering committee member.
Coalition members are thrilled to see plans for the project moving forward – despite possible delays due to federal budget cuts. At a recent community meeting at Richmond City Hall, UC Berkeley and LBNL representatives told a group of about 100 community members that project plans are in the approval process, and they described how they see the area unfolding over time.
Graham Fleming, vice chancellor of research of UC Berkeley, described the plan for Richmond as “synergistic,” with UC Berkeley, LBNL and private developers all eventually building in the West Richmond area along the coast.
“It will take decades for the full vision to be realized, but it’s good to have a big picture in mind,” said Glenn Kubiak, chief operating officer for Berkeley Lab.
That big picture is both ambitious and impressive.
“We intend this to be a premier research hub. This can only be good for the Bay Area, only be good for Richmond and is good for all of us around the world,” said Barbara Maloney, a partner with BMS Design Group, which is overseeing the design plans. “This can become a real center of research. There’s plenty of land for other research companies to establish themselves nearby.”
The campus is already taking shape on the drawing boards with building placement, parking structures, trails and protected open space all outlined for the site.
Because the area has sensitive grasslands that need to be protected, there will be 25 acres of natural open space with minimal human access. The remaining 108 acres will be developed into research facilities, educational facilities, parking, food courts and open areas.
Parking lots will be placed on the outer edges of the property, most off the main road into the site. As a result, the center of the property will remain mostly car-free but bisected by Regatta Boulevard. The area will have walkways connecting four office clusters, or “neighborhoods,” with several open areas for socializing and eating.
The first of the four campus corridors will be developed along South 47th Street, near the Bay Trail, giving the community parking and access to the trail as soon as possible. The first phase is expected to be up to 600,000 square feet and house 1,300 people.
As more employees start working out of the new development, transportation solutions will be provided, including shuttle service linking the Richmond campus to the local BART stations and UC Berkeley, and possible ferry service linking Richmond to the Bay Area.
For Willie Hicks, the For Richmond jobs chair and the president and business representative for Laborers Local 324 in Richmond, all of these new plans mean one thing: jobs, jobs and more jobs for Richmond residents in need of work.
“Projects like this are fantastic because they attract other projects and businesses that put our workforce back to work,” Hicks said.
Morgan echoed that sentiment, adding that LBNL has made a commitment to support locally-owned small businesses, meaning that local restaurants, dry cleaners and drug stores, among others, will all benefit.
“This project is a win for this community many times over,” she said.
To find out more about the project, visit http://richmondbaycampus.lbl.gov/

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

4 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

Yahushua’s Law: Senate Advances Bill to Protect Students from Extreme Weather

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3. The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Published

5 days ago

April 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Yahushua Nyerere Robinson (Courtesy Photo)

By California Black Media

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3.

The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) and co-authored by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-La Mesa), SB 1248 directs the California Department of Education to develop comprehensive guidelines for schools regarding student activity during all extreme weather conditions.

“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Hurtado said after introducing SB 1248.

The bill stipulates that schools must implement safety measures which include monitoring weather forecasts, postponing or relocating outdoor activities during hazardous conditions, and ensuring students have proper hydration and access to shade. It also requires schools to establish clear communication plans to keep parents, teachers, and students informed about potential weather hazards.

Supporters of the bill include the Robinson family, advocate Christina Laster, Bold Enterprises LLC, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, Familias Empoderadas del Valle Central National Action Network, The Black Student Advocate, and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Thanking Hurtado for introducing this crucial legislation, Weber said, “The story of Yahushua Robinson last year was heartbreaking. We have protections for farm workers and other industries in the case of extreme weather, now climate change is forcing us to also extend similar protections to students at school.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

6 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.