The Downtown Berkeley Association is celebrating our partnership in three successful grants awarded as part of the Chancellors Community Partnership Fund.

The Skydeck Innovation Center receives a $50k boost . The Skydeck is a project of the Berkeley StartUp Cluster and will be a 10,000 sq. ft. incubator for fledgling companies.

60 Boxes receives a $20,000 grant  to cover Downtown Berkeley utility boxes with sustainably themed art work by local artists.

Bay Area Green Tours receives a $5,000 gramt to bring UC students on tours of the Bay Area's sustainable economy.

Congratulations to the many people and organizations who have collaborated on these projects. This work will undoubtedly help to improve the vitality of Downtown Berkeley.

A Proposed Marketing Strategy for Berkeley's Bioscience Cluster submitted by Berkeley's Office of Economic Development   

 

In order to build on Berkeley's strong cluster of bioscience business and research centers, Berkeley's Office of Economic Development is developing a marketing strategy for the industry in partnership with the City of Emeryville, and the Chambers of Commerce of both cities. The purpose is to define and promote the assets and identity of the bioscience cluster to both retain our growing base of companies and attract new ones. The Berkeley/Emeryville Bioscience Marketing Strategy will be highly focused on attracting biotechnology firms to our specific two-City cluster. Targeted industries will include, but will not be limited to, fields such as alternative fuels, pharmaceuticals, biochemistry, biophysics, and microbiology.

 

The bioscience sector, including bio-fuels, has been a bright spot in the local economy even during the recent recession. There is already a significant cluster of these enterprises in the Berkeley/Emeryville area. Focusing on the growth and support of this clean and innovative market will help leverage significant new private and public investment in this sector.

Construction of The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life is progressing on Allston Way and scheduled to open in January 2012.

With its historic and unique collection, the Magnes will add strength to the arts offerings by lining up with the David Brower Center and its Hazel Wolf Gallery, the Marsh Arts Center with a black box theatre, cabaret space and event facilities, the Saturn Cafe and Space Lounge, and Gather Restaurant with its bar and patio space. All this on one block, making Allston Way our new Downtown heavy hitter block for the arts.