Digital News Report- Construction preparation activities began earlier this morning on the Science Hill site that will be home to the new Biomedical Sciences building. The activity includes installation of a fence around the
construction zone for public safety, as well as tree trimming and removal. It appears as if the three trees formerly occupied by protestors within the construction site have been vacated.
To facilitate the tree removal and the transport of heavy equipment, temporary restrictions on inbound vehicular traffic have been implemented on campus. For similar reasons, the Science and Engineering Library has been closed and will remain so through the weekend.
The safety and security precautions at the site are required in part by the 13-month illegal occupation of three trees on the paved parking area of the construction site. Operations staff are determining if a fourth tree, in an
area outside the construction zone, may still be occupied.
In recent weeks the campus initiated talks, which ended earlier this week, aimed at reaching a mediated resolution to the tree occupation.
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Later that morning, the final protester left the fourth tree voluntarily and was taken into custody by campus police. By 8:30 a.m., university officials said all four occupied trees had been vacated. Professional climbers then began removing platforms, tarps, ropes, and other materials while crews continued installing the security fence.
The work proceeded without a major confrontation. Police maintained a perimeter around the construction area as crews trimmed and removed trees needed to clear the building site. University officials reported that no protesters remained at the location by 9 a.m.
The occupation had begun on November 7, 2007, when activists climbed into redwood trees on Science Hill. The protesters opposed the proposed Biomedical Sciences building and the university’s broader 2005 Long-Range Development Plan. They argued that campus expansion would damage forested land, increase pressure on local water supplies, worsen traffic, and add to housing problems in the Santa Cruz area.
University administrators disputed several of the protesters’ claims. They said the biomedical facility would be built mainly on existing paved parking areas and was needed to support teaching and research in health and medicine. The university also said the larger development plan did not require the campus to reach its maximum projected enrollment.
The dispute extended beyond the trees. The City and County of Santa Cruz, community organizations, and local residents had challenged the university’s development plans in court. A judge required more detailed environmental analysis involving water, traffic, and housing, temporarily affecting approval of the biomedical project. The parties reached a settlement in 2008 that allowed the project to move forward under additional conditions.
The tree occupation ended after mediated discussions between campus officials and protest representatives failed to produce an agreement. Protest supporters viewed the campaign as an effort to protect redwood habitat and limit university expansion. Campus officials described the occupation as unsafe, disruptive, and unlawful.
Construction of the Biomedical Sciences building proceeded after the site was cleared. The approximately 94,700-square-foot facility was completed in 2012. It contains four floors of laboratories, offices, and administrative areas above a basement-level animal research facility.
The building was designed to support scientists working in molecular biology, chemistry, toxicology, and biomolecular engineering. It later received LEED Gold certification for energy and environmental design, exceeding the university’s original LEED Silver target.