Iceland to Keep Landmark Status

The future of Berkeley Iceland remains uncertain after the City Council voted Tuesday to maintain the landmark status of the arena, eliciting cheers from community members who packed the council chambers to wait for the vote.

Members of community group Save Berkeley Iceland applauded as the council voted 5-4 to keep the landmark status of the entire arena, throwing a snag into a deal rink owners signed last week with a buyer who said he planned to use to property for housing units.

After the decision was delivered, those who had petitioned the council to amend the landmark designation to include only portions of the structure said they were upset with the outcome of the vote, calling it an “unbalanced approach.”

“They try to force a sale to a group that our experts say do not have a viable proposal,” said Rena Rickels, an attorney representing the rink’s owners, the Zamboni family of Los Angeles. “The planned use for the facility can’t happen anymore. They preserved it for what?”

Members of Save Berkeley Iceland, who have offered to buy the arena contingent on their ability to raise funds, said the designation not only represents a sound decision to preserve a historic structure, but a victory for their cause.

“I was pleased that we’ve gotten this far and that that building is protected for the moment. It’s a big step,” said Tom Killilea, the group’s executive director.

Killilea said the group has raised approximately $600,000 so far and that it believes as a nonprofit organization it could run the rink. However, the former rink managers have said it was not financially feasible.

“(The owners) have to decide what their next move will be,” Killilea said. “We are hoping that we will have a chance to talk to them again.”

The current buyer said he is not yet sure if he will continue with the purchase, citing costs that could come from altering a landmarked property.

“When a building is landmarked, the cost of renovating is often prohibitive,” said Ali Kashani, who entered an agreement with rink owners last week to purchase the property. “We’re going to study that and decide whether we want to do it at this point.”

The council voted after debating extensively over the future of the building. Members not in favor of landmarking the entire arena said they feared the site will remain vacant.

“To (landmark the entire arena) would be to set that land on a course that is extremely uncertain, it would set that neighborhood up for a real possibility of an abandoned building if the fundraising efforts fell short,” said Councilmember Max Anderson.

Other councilmembers pointed to the history of the ice rink and the building as reason to preserve it, despite what the future could hold.

“We have a treasure in our community, it’s true that it’s been languishing but we’ve taken other wonderful places, recognized their value and we’ve stepped up to the plate to restore those,” said Councilmember Linda Maio.

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