University Hall is on Oxford Street in Downtown Berkeley.
University Hall as viewed from the southeast, at the corner of Addison Street and Oxford Street in Downtown Berkeley.
The Berkeley Innovation Zone will redevelop a 1.86-acre campus-owned site in downtown Berkeley to create a public-facing node for life sciences, materials science, and climate research. Immediately west of the Crescent Lawn, the zone will have two main buildings separated by a courtyard space. Construction of the south building and courtyard space will begin first, followed by the north building.
Project Background
University Hall is one of the largest campus buildings needing seismic improvement. Analysis has shown that replacing University Hall is more practical than retrofitting the existing building, which has extensive deferred maintenance, inefficient spaces not sized or configured to meet present program requirements, and aged building systems that have exceeded their intended lifespans. All of the programs in University Hall have relocated over the past year, and the building is now vacant and ready for demolition.
The demolition of University Hall will begin with interior work in July 2024, followed by exterior demolition starting in September 2024. This demolition process is expected to take approximately ten months and be completed by the summer of 2025.
Removing University Hall and other university-owned structures on the 1.86-acre site in downtown Berkeley will pave the way for the Berkeley Innovation Zone, a public-facing hub for life sciences, materials science, and climate research. Immediately west of the Crescent Lawn, the zone will have two main buildings separated by a courtyard space. Construction of the south building and courtyard space will begin first, followed by the north building.