A BUILDING TRANSFORMED

The Berkeley Chess Center Revives a 1909 Home into a Modern Community Facility

As you drive south on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, just past the terraced splendor of the newish Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, you may have noticed a transformation taking place over the past few years. A small, but bold upstart is stealing some of the spotlight from its airy neighbor.

Tinted and translucent panes of glass alternate to create a 256-square-foot chessboard window, inviting passersby to literally and metaphorically step into the King’s game. Welcome to the new home of the Berkeley Chess School, BCS.

The Berkeley Chess School is a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing children’s social, cognitive, and academic well-being through chess. Founded in 1982 by former Irish Women’s Chess Champion Elizabeth Shaughnessy, the Berkeley Chess School now serves over 7,000 children and adults annually, at 60 locations in the greater Bay Area.

The Test of Time:

Taking a look at a LEED Platinum home, 10 years later

Over a decade ago Arana Craftsman Painters had the pleasure of meeting Shannon Bloemker when their company was subcontracted to provide painting and staining services as part of her groundbreaking eco-conscious renovation project. Shannon and her husband Rob had purchased a mid-century modern style home in Piedmont knowing that it needed A LOT of work. Fortunately, she was the perfect new homeowner for that moment. With her years of experience in construction and property management, and a nearly-completed Master’s degree in Sustainability from Harvard University, the stage was set.

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Diversifying California’s Small Developer Corps

Build It Green (BIG) believes that every Californian deserves to live in a safe, affordable home in a resilient and thriving neighborhood. The organization is putting a new focus on California’s small developer and contractor community to connect people there with resources and mentorship.

What most know about California’s housing market is that the industry simply isn’t building enough new homes. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) determined that the state needs 1.8 million new homes by 2025 to meet projected population growth. On top of that, California isn’t currently building the kinds of homes that people need most. For example, there is a massive shortage of Middle Housing or two to four unit construction and townhomes.