UC Berkeley will delay training center construction

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 25, 2008 | by Doug Oakley

BERKELEY --UC Berkeley will voluntarily delay construction of a $125 million athletic training center at Memorial Stadium until a state appeals court considers a lawsuit opposing the project, university officials said Monday.

The project, which is increasing in cost by $750,000 a month due to delays from the lawsuit, is now stalled until at least the end of September, said Cal spokesman Dan Mogulof.

The $125 million project has been held up in court since December of 2006.

In July, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller ruled in favor of the school and against three groups who sued the school over the project on environmental and public safety grounds.

The case then went to state appeals court but was kicked back to Miller because she had not yet considered a request for a new trial by one of the plaintiffs. Miller is now set to reissue her ruling, one which both sides believe will favor Cal and bring the case back to the appeals court.