GOT DAMN, WE BOUGHT A BUILDING YA’LL!!
By Cheryl Stevens
On behalf of the Board of Directors at The Potters’ Studio and Executive Director Bobbi Fabian, I’m delighted to announce that TPS now has a permanent studio home! Our journey to this exciting position began in earnest early last year, when our current landlord said he would not be renewing our lease in 2024. At first, we didn’t know where to begin. While we’ve enjoyed much success on Eighth Street, we have also clearly grown out of the space. With a growing number of enthusiastic students and members — and a long membership waiting list — the studio has become crowded. We’ve been bulging at the seams, and sometimes we all struggle to find enough space to create. We have known for some time that we need more space to accommodate our growing community!
But, the idea of packing up and moving — not to mention finding a comparable space — was also overwhelming at best. Needless to say, with the new pressure from our landlord in addition to the overcrowding in the studio, as a board we knew it was time to find and secure a stable and permanent home.
The first thing we did was to negotiate with our landlord for more time. Although it was very clear our landlord wanted to reclaim our current space immediately, as a board we were able to extend our tenancy for another year. Next, we discussed the pros and cons of taking on another long-term lease versus trying to buy a building the studio could call our own. The more we discussed the options, the more the board leaned towards ownership. We wanted to make sure we wouldn’t be subject to “eviction” and the whims of a new landlord in the future.
As we began our search for our “forever home,” we considered what was most important to the members. We wondered, should we remain in Berkeley or look for less expensive buildings in Oakland, Richmond, El Cerrito or Emeryville? We were lucky to engage assistance from the preeminent Berkeley realtor John Norheim of Norheim & Yost, who guided our search for the best purchase opportunity. We looked at several buildings and tried to imagine our studio in these new spaces. And we soon discovered there were not many warehouse-type buildings available for sale that fit all of our criteria. Some buildings checked several of the important boxes, yet were either out of our price range or needed significant repairs and renovations.
However, John identified a building that met almost all of our criteria. Our new home is 722 Camelia Street! The building is in great shape and needs only ADA improvements and aesthetic upgrades, and it’s in the same Berkeley neighborhood as our current studio, right in the heart of the Gilman District. Moreover, it has great potential for growth: it’s approximately 30% larger than the Eighth Street building and has a great layout that allows for a separate gallery to showcase Member work.
We still have work to do to prepare it for you, our Members and Students, and do not anticipate moving in before next May. Between now and then we will be creating a beautiful, functional, and creative workspace for you. We’ll be upgrading the bathrooms, building out the glaze area, designing good workspace for staff, and putting our imprint on the new space.
We’ll also be asking for your input. Look out soon for a survey seeking your input, and please respond. We want to hear from everyone. We’re also looking for muralists interested in customizing our space with unique art on the exterior walls and perhaps some of the interior space as well.
Between now and when we move in, we will need everyone’s support, as we face many challenges ahead. We need your financial support and have initiated a capital campaign to raise funds for the remodel, move, and purchase. If you can, please give generously and ask others to support our new studio home. In fact, if you or someone you know wants to be our benefactor, please let us know! We will graciously accept and welcome all contributions and support at any level!
In the meantime, as we prepare for this transition, we ask for your patience and understanding. Over the course of the next year or so we will be juggling a lot of different projects while continuing to provide the same level of attention and support that we have always given to our Members and Students. There may be a few hiccups as we move forward with planning and operating two different locations, one under construction and the other at full capacity.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank you for understanding our recent decision to increase studio fees. You can see more about these changes and our sliding scale membership on our website, here.
If you have any questions, want to help or make a contribution contact Bobbi at bobbi@berkeleypottersstudio.org or send me an email at cheryl@berkeleypottersstudio.org. Ask questions, provide input and smile because we now have a permanent home of our own! Bear with us, support us, and be excited — we certainly are.
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