CiTy COuncil Darryl Moore Councilmember District 2 CONSENT CALENDAR December 15, 2015

To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

From: Councilmember Darryl Moore

Subject: Provide Cost Estimates to Restore the Berkeley Pier

RECOMMENDATION: Refer to the City Manager to determine the cost to make the appropriate repairs so that it will be safe for public use.

BACKGROUND: In the mid-19th century, two private wharves were built along the Berkeley waterfront. One was located at the foot of Addison Street one block south of University Avenue and served the Standard Soap Company, a major regional soap-making factory. The other, the Jacobs and Heywood Wharf, was located several blocks north of University Avenue at the foot of Delaware Street, used as a general freight transshipment point. In 1909, the City built a municipal wharf at the foot of University Avenue. This pier was intended for a commuter ferry which never materialized, and the pier was instead used mainly for freight. Starting in 1926, the Company, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific railroad, began construction of the Berkeley Pier. It was also built out from the foot of University Avenue about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) into the Bay (measured from the original shoreline). On June 16, 1927, auto ferry service began between the Berkeley Pier and the in San Francisco, a pier shared with the Sausalito ferry. Between 1926 and 1937, it served as an integral part of the (the first road across America), and then subsequently U.S. Route 40. A two-lane road ran the entire length to a ferry dock at the end of the pier. The ferry line shut down in 1939 approximately two years after the Bay Bridge opened. The portion of the pier closest to shore, approximately 3,000 feet (910 m) was converted to recreational use, mainly fishing. The remaining portion of the pier was left to decay, and is still visible, but inaccessible due to a barrier. In July, 2015 the entrance to the pier was fenced off and access was forbidden due to safety concerns after severe weathering and corrosion was discovered in the concrete and iron rebar supporting the pier.

The Berkeley Pier is an iconic element of the Berkeley landscape. Up until its closure, it provided a location for visitors to enjoy an expansive view of the bay, as well as recreational and subsistence fishing and crabbing. If financially feasible, this key piece

2180 Milvia Street ▪ Fifth Floor ▪ Berkeley ▪ CA ▪ 94704 ▪ TEL: (510) 981-7120 ▪ FAX: (510) 981-7122 WEB: www.ci.berkeley.ca.us of Berkeley’s history should be preserved. To determine whether this is will be possible, an accurate cost estimate to rehabilitate the pier will be required.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Unknown

CONTACT PERSON: Councilmember Darryl Moore District 2 510-981-7120