Another Letter to the Editor Re: the Community Benefits District
Read Margret Elliot’s letter in the 09.04.07 Berkeley Daily Planet.
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Read Margret Elliot’s letter in the 09.04.07 Berkeley Daily Planet.
To help accomodate Berkeley’s dwindling number of care dealerships (i.e. less and less sales tax revenue for the city), Berkeley is in the process of rezoning certain areas to allow for such businesses to take place.
Read more in Carol Jones 08.07.07 SF Chronicle article.
It’s not just the independent bookstores that are feeling the burn…..Read more about the chain’s recent announcement to close their local store, in the 03.02.07 Daily Planet.
Becky O’Malley’s editorial on the subject in her 03.06.07 editorial in the Planet.
Related past post.
After nearly 70 years in business, the ice rink may close for good due to financial and environmental reasons. Read more in the 01.19.07 Chronicle.
If Black Oak Books can’t find a buyer for its two stores (one in North Berkeley and one in San Francisco), it may soon be closing its doors. Read more about it in the 01.18.07 Daily Californian.
* This post doesn’t directly relate to West Berkeley per se, but it does reflect a disturbing city (and nation-wide) trend faced by independent bookstores. With online and larger retail outfits gaining the upperhand in the market, smaller local outfits have a hard time keeping up. Of course this is the case with almost any smaller locally owned business these days, but having a variety of good bookstores in a college town is an especially important asset. I’ve already felt the burn from the loss of Cody’s Books on Telegraph…I’d hate to lose another on Shattuck. Don’t know what the solution here is…..
Anne Blackstone reflects on the globalization of Cody’s in the Planet.
Yohan, Inc, a Japanese distributor, puchased the 2 remaining stores. Current Cody’s owner Andy Ross made the announcement this past Wednesday. Read more about it in today’s Oakland Tribune or Contra Costa Times.
Steven Donaldson and Bob Archibald share some of their thoughts with the Planet.
It’s been in the works for awhile, but now it looks like CLIF Bar is officially leaving Berkeley. It will move to Alameda in July of 2008 when the 10 year lease on its current space on 5th Street expires. This is quite a loss considering it is a local home grown Berkeley business with a strong commitment to being ecologically sound. Much has been said and written since the news earlier this week:
Berkeley Daily Planet:Clif Bar Announces Move to Alameda
Berkeley Voice: Clif Bar Makes Move from Berkeley to Alameda
Oakland Tribune: Clif Bar Leaves Berkeley
SF Chronicle: Clif Bar Moves to Alameda after 16 years in Berkeley
SF Chronicle: Letter to the editor from Zelda Bronstein
This is even sadder news as it occurs on the heals of Power Bar’s departure from downtown Berkeley.
The division’s manager, Thomas Myers, will be leaving his post of 13 years this October. Read more about it in Judith Scherr’s article in today’s Daily Planet.
–here come the autodealerships!!! Storage facilities along the Frontage road are now in the Planning Commission’s crosshairs. Click here and scroll down halfway for the Daily Planet’s summary of the discussion.
Click here for Richard Brenneman’s article.
With two dealerships and their associated sales tax already well on their way to leaving Berkeley the City is pondering changing the current zoning/West Berkeley Plan to help stop the migration of existing Berkeley dealerships to Oakland and Emeryville. The most notable site involved in the current zoning discussion is the former location of Flint Ink at 4th and GIlman. Weatherford BMW has written a letter of intent to buy this property, but has little incentive to move forward if the zoning will not be changed to accomodate retail car sales. Per Don Yost of Norheim and Yost, the property is currently on the market for 5.8 million dollars.
Read Fred Dodsworth’s article on the subject here. Click here to read related past posts.
7pm at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst.
Up for Public Comment and Discussion: West Berkeley Zoning Regulations, and the West Berkeley Plan. If the City choses to accomodate the car dealerships along Gilman and Frontage Road, changes to industrial and manufacturing zones will need to occur.
The meeting is being put on by the planning commision.
Will it stay a race track, become a park, or maybe even a casino? It is still yet to be determined, but Tony Caine of Albany sheds some light on the pros and cons of the possibilties.
Sept.6 2005 Daily Planet Tony Caine Article
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