Tuesday, October 05, 2010

The luxurious 13,200-square-foot Blake House -- but can we afford to keep it ???


The University of California is weighing what to do with the abandoned president's mansion. The luxurious 13,200-square-foot Blake House near Berkeley has been deteriorating for years. Officials are considering alternatives to avoid $2 million for basic maintenance, and $10 million for a full renovation.

Blake House is a lonely, empty place these days.

The Mediterranean-style mansion near Berkeley that is intended to be the official residence of the University of California president has not been occupied since 2008.

Apart from three UC Berkeley social events this year, its grand entertainment rooms are chilly and silent, with most of its antique furniture now in storage. Its second-floor private suite, with stunning hilltop vistas of San Francisco Bay, badly needs refurbishment, and rat traps are placed throughout.

(Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times reporting)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Can Californian's afford to have UC Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau spend $3,000,000 on consultants to do the work that other universities are doing internally at $0. Speak your mind: contact your reps in Sacramento and tell them what you think of the $3,000,000 of waste during a recession