Berkeley Lab Selects Richmond for Second Campus

Richmond has beaten competitors for Berkeley Lab's second campus, lab spokesman Jon Weiner announced Monday. The Richmond Field Station, which is already owned by the University of California, spans 152 acres and has been used since 1950 primarily for large-scale engineering research. 

Berkeley had three sites on a shortlist of six for the new campus, including Aquatic Park West in West Berkeley, Emeryville/Berkeley — with properties located in both cities, and Golden Gate Fields spanning both Berkeley and Albany. The decision on a finalist to early 2012.

The new site will consolidate Berkeley Lab's biosciences programs, which are currently scattered throughout the East Bay in leased space, and provide opportunity for future laboratory expansion. University officials say they hope to move researchers into the new site by mid-2016. 

Berkeley Lab's second campus is expected to host more than 800 workers and generate more than $200 million in spending impacts, reports the Contra Costa Times.

More than 20 cities and developers proposed locations for the second campus. 

The official statement from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory follows:

The University of California announced today that it has identified the Richmond Field Station as its preferred site for the proposed consolidation of its biosciences programs of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).  The University of California-owned site presents the best opportunity to solve the Lab’s pressing space problems while allowing for long term growth and maintaining the 80 year tradition of close cooperation with the UC Berkeley Campus.

With this identification of a preferred site, the University will now move ahead with developing environmental impact studies and with the process of seeking final approval from the US Department of Energy for the project. 

"Each city, community, and their developer partners presented extremely thoughtful and well-formulated proposals for us to consider, for which we are deeply grateful," says Berkeley Lab Director Paul Alivisatos. "The communities of Albany, Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Richmond have been true partners in this process. While we can only pick one site, we hope that the new relationships we've made will continue to help us foster excitement in science. The enthusiasm is wonderful affirmation of the desire of the entire East Bay to be part of developing scientific solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing our society.

The University of California received more than 20 responses when a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was released earlier this year.  The number of sites under review was narrowed in May to:

• Alameda Point, in the city of Alameda;
• Berkeley Aquatic Park West, located in West Berkeley;
• Brooklyn Basin, located in Oakland;
• Emeryville/Berkeley, (includes properties currently occupied by the Lab in Emeryville and West Berkeley);
• Golden Gate Fields, spanning the cities of Berkeley and Albany
• Richmond Field Station, a site currently owned by the University of California.

What do you think of Berkeley Lab's decision? Share your thoughts in the comments.