Free film screening and public hearing to help save historic UC campus from development

2/24: Free film screening to help save historic UC campus

HELP SAVE THE BEAUTIFUL AND HISTORIC UC BERKELEY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT 55 LAGUNA STREET SF FROM THE WRECKING BALL

Free film screening and public forum on February 24 at SF Public Library Koret Auditorium.

Eliza Heminway's documentary film "Closing the Books" and a public forum will be held February 24th for to help save the 5.8
acre historic UC Berkeley Extension campus from the wrecking ball and make sure this historic treasure paid for with our tax dollars remains in public use.

UC Regents have engaged a private developer, AF Evans, to convert this historic site into high density condo and retail space in the name of profit. Their proposal is currently under review by the SF Planning Department. UC Regents are seeking to rezone the campus, which if approved, will permanently end its 150 year history of public use. A public hearing is scheduled for March 8th at the San Francisco Planning Commission; it is the only public process planned regarding the re-zoning of the campus.

Film Screening and Public Forum to be held:

WHEN: Saturday, February 24, 4:15 - 5:30 PM, Free

WHERE: The San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin St. (at Grove), Koret Auditorium, located on the library's lower level. Enter at 30 Grove St. and proceed down stairs. Special needs parking is available on Larkin and Fulton Streets.

NOTE: This program is sponsored by the Friends of 1800, Save the UCBE Laguna Street Campus and Trinity Productions, and is not a San Francisco Library Sponsored program. Contact (415) 563-7336 for additional information.

The program will begin with a screening of Eliza Hemenway's new documentary film UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE: Closing the Books at UC Berkeley Extension, a poetic journey inside UC Berkeley Extension as plans unfold to close its historic San Francisco campus and convert this billion dollar land parcel into a lucrative private development. Filmmaker Eliza Hemenway worked at the campus for over six years. Wondering why UC Regents were closing a campus with a 150 year history of public use, she picked up her camera and began to film. The result is a revealing look into higher education and culture, as well as a hauntingly beautiful portrait of a campus and the community it served. Accompanied by an edgy urban soundtrack written and performed by locally acclaimed musician Tim Barsky and Everyday Theatre with additional music by The Toids.
The film screening will be followed by a brief Q&A with the filmmaker and a public forum.

PUBLIC FORUM:
A panel will present information on the historic and planning issues related to the reuse of the Campus. The panel will include: Charles Chase, AIA, Executive Director, San Francisco Architectural Heritage;
Mark Paez, Urban Planner and Co-Chair, Friends of 1800; Warren Dewar,
Attorney and Board Member, Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association
(HVNA); and Tamara Colby, Urban Planner and Co-Chair, Save the UCBE
Laguna Street Campus.

A Public Hearing on the Draft EIR will be held Thursday, March 8, 2007
in Room 400, City Hall. Call 558-6422 the week of the hearing for a
recorded message for the exact time of hearing. A request has been
made to hold the hearing at 6:00 PM. Again, this is the only public
process planned regarding the re-zoning of the campus.

Save the UCBE Laguna Street Campus was founded to establish a Citizens
Advisory Committee to determine the highest and best use of the campus
and to promote the preservation of its historic and public resources.
The group has drafted a petition calling for the Board of Supervisors
to establish a Citizens Advisory Committee. See:
http://www.petitiononline.com/UCBEsite/petition.html and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Save_UCBE_Laguna_St_Campus

For more information about the film, UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE: Closing the
Books at the UC Berkeley Extension" or the filmmaker, Eliza Hemenway,
visit http://www.hemenwaydocs.com