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Council approves short‑term marquee lease; lights to be turned off for structural repairs
Summary
Berkeley approved a one‑year, terminable lease to use the marquee on the former Rite Aid building, agreed to pay $4,000 to cover lighting costs for Dec. 2024–Mar. 2025, and will turn off marquee lighting during planned structural repairs; the Downtown Development Authority agreed to pay for structural work.
City staff and the Downtown Development Authority told council members the marquee on the former Rite Aid building is not a city‑owned asset but had long been used by the city under a lease and maintenance arrangement. City Manager Van Vleck said the property owner requested the city pay part of the electrical bill beginning Sept. 20, 2024, and staff estimated the marquee’s current lighting costs at roughly $1,000 a month.
Van Vleck recommended a short‑term lease that would allow the city to use the marquee's message board while paying the building owner $4,000 to cover lighting costs from December 2024 through March 2025 and to discontinue lighting while structural repairs are carried out in April. Van Vleck told council members the Downtown Development Authority had voted to cover the required structural repairs and that lighting would be turned off while repairs are performed.
Council discussion emphasized public communication about the lights being turned off and the short‑term, terminable nature of the lease. City Attorney noted the proposed lease is a one‑year term and terminable on 30 days’ notice by either party. Council Member Baker said messaging to the public about timing and reasons for the lights being turned off would be important so residents are not surprised.
The council approved Motion M1825 on a roll call vote to authorize the short‑term lease and the $4,000 payment for lighting costs. The motion was described on the record as terminable and intended to give staff time to better understand the marquee's electrical costs and the property’s ownership transition before revisiting long‑term arrangements.
Ending: Staff said they will coordinate communications about the lights being turned off while repairs proceed and will explore options with a future owner or tenant for longer‑term arrangements. The letter board on the marquee will remain available for city messaging while lighting and structural work proceed, per the approved lease.
