Cloyne Court Hotel
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The Cloyne Court Hotel, often referred to simply as Cloyne, is a historical landmark in
Berkeley Berkeley most often refers to: *Berkeley, California, a city in the United States **University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California * George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher Berkeley may also refer ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
and currently one of the houses of the Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC), a
student housing cooperative A student housing cooperative, also known as co-operative housing, is a housing cooperative for student members. Members live in alternative cooperative housing that they personally own and maintain. These houses are designed to lower housing cos ...
. It is located at the north side of the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
campus at 2600 Ridge Road, near
Soda Hall The campus of the University of California, Berkeley and its surrounding community are home to a number of notable buildings by early 20th-century campus architect John Galen Howard, his peer Bernard Maybeck (best known for the San Francisco Pala ...
and Jacobs Hall, and is the next door neighbor of the
Goldman School of Public Policy The Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, or the Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP), is a public policy school and one of fourteen schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. Originally named the Graduate Sch ...
. The building is owned by the
Regents of the University of California The Regents of the University of California (also referred to as the Board of Regents to distinguish the board from the corporation it governs of the same name) is the governing board of the University of California (UC), a state university sy ...
.


History

Cloyne Court was named after
Cloyne Cloyne () is a small town to the southeast of Midleton in eastern County Cork. It is also a see city of the Anglican (Church of Ireland) Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, while also giving its name to a Roman Catholic diocese. St Colman's Ca ...
, the village in
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
where George Berkeley was bishop. Cloyne was built in 1904 for $80,000 by the University Land and Improvement Company, which included several University professors, University benefactresses
Phoebe Apperson Hearst Phoebe Elizabeth Apperson Hearst (December 3, 1842 – April 13, 1919) was an American philanthropist, feminist and suffragist. Hearst was the founder of the University of California Museum of Anthropology, now called the Phoebe A. Hearst M ...
and
Jane K. Sather Jane K. Sather (''née'' Krom; March 9, 1824 – December 11, 1911) was an American philanthropist and one of the University of California, Berkeley's most significant benefactors. She founded the Sather Professorship of Classical Literature and t ...
, future Regent James K. Moffit, Dr. Louis Lisser, John L. Howard, Warren Olney, Dr. Kasper Pishel, Louis Titus,
John Galen Howard John Galen Howard (May 8, 1864 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts – July 18, 1931 in San Francisco, California) was an American architect and educator who began his career in New York before moving to California. He was the principal architect at in ...
, the architect of the building and James M. Pierce, the later owner of the hotel. The building, described as a "high-class, modern apartment house," originally contained 32 suites, each with bath, that were not connected by common hallways, but rather were paired onto private stairways to the first floor public areas. Each section was separated by heavy brick firewalls with automatic fireproof doors and each suite was wired for telephone. In 1911, the music room (today called lib-ed room) was added to the building, directly opposite the main entrance, which hosted numerous lectures and music recitals. The building was one of a rare few to survive the devastating 1923 Berkeley fire, remarkable also because the building is made of
redwood Sequoioideae, popularly known as redwoods, is a subfamily of coniferous trees within the family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affini ...
and all of the buildings had (and still have) wood shake siding and roofs. Pierce and his family purchased the hotel from the investors and managed it from its opening in 1904 until 1914. The family continued operating the hotel until it was sold in 1946. The services and hospitality at Cloyne Court were always highly complimented by the many visitors who had the pleasure of staying at the hotel. Registered compliments in the hotel guest book include: *Cloyne Court - Silence and peace in an insane world. -
Ernest Bloch Ernest Bloch (July 24, 1880 – July 15, 1959) was a Swiss-born American composer. Bloch was a preeminent artist in his day, and left a lasting legacy. He is recognized as one of the greatest Swiss composers in history. As well as producing music ...
, 1944 *Cloyne Court, a haven and a place where the gentle art of hospitality is made manifest to the unknown stranger as well as to the great ones of our day. - Mary Lambert, 1942 *Giving people a happy home is a divine service. -
Benjamin Ide Wheeler Benjamin Ide Wheeler (July 15, 1854– May 2, 1927) was a professor of Greek and comparative philology at Cornell University, writer, and President of the University of California from 1899 to 1919. Life and career Early years Benjamin ...
, 1923 *I came a stranger, stayed a guest and departed a friend. - unknown Cloyne Court was sold by the Pierce family in 1946 to the
University Students' Cooperative Association The Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC) (formerly known as University Students' Cooperative Association or the USCA) is a student housing cooperative serving primarily UC Berkeley students, but open to any full-time post-secondary student. The BS ...
(today BSC) for $125,000. That year, 15 men occupied the new co-op house alongside the previous residents, whom the USCA had agreed to not displace but rather to allow to continue to live in the residence. Cloyne originally housed all men who often held dances and dined with the women of nearby
Stebbins Hall Stebbins Hall is a student housing cooperative owned by Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC) and located at 2527 Ridge Road in Berkeley, California, on the Northside of the University of California, Berkeley campus. The house has a total occupancy ...
and Hoyt Hall, both all-female co-ops at the time. In 1972, Cloyne Court became a co-ed house. In 1970, the USCA was forced to sell the property to the Regents of the University of California, upon the threat of an
eminent domain Eminent domain (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...
acquisition by the University, in exchange for a
peppercorn Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diamet ...
lease, most recently renewed in July 2005. The building was named a City of Berkeley Landmark in 1982, and placed in the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1992. On December 21, 2008, Cloyne Court was closed temporarily for earthquake renovations. It reopened at the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester. Cloyne's reputation for its party and rules-free culture became a problem for the entire organization when in 2010 John Gibson, then a 21-year-old resident, suffered extensive brain damage and lapsed into a coma, reportedly as a result of a
cocaine overdose Cocaine intoxication refers to the subjective, desired and adverse effects of cocaine on the mind and behavior of users. Both self-induced and involuntary cocaine intoxication have medical and legal implications (even in absence of relevant advers ...
, in his room. A lawsuit followed his hospitalization, his family claiming his fellow housemates failed to call 911 in time to assist him. The BSC settled with his family with the agreement that Cloyne would dramatically change. From Fall 2014, Cloyne became the substance-free house of the BSC system. Prior members were forced to leave, but one member was allowed to stay after appeal.


Co-op

File:Cloyne Court Hotel landmark plaques.JPG File:Cloyne Court Hotel (Berkeley, CA).JPG File:Cloyne Court, Berkeley (8675004).jpg File:Cloyne Court Coop-Hackerspace, Aug-2014 (14881564098).jpg File:Cloyne Court Coop-Hackerspace, Aug-2014 (15065125881).jpg Cloyne is the largest non-apartment style property in the BSC, the largest housing co-op organization in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
. Cloyne houses 140 UC Berkeley students (119 during summer), mostly undergraduates. Because it is owned by, and leased on University of California land, only UC students are eligible as residents. Despite its size the house is student-run and student-governed. Members contribute 5 hours of workshift per week each for various tasks needed for the operation of the house: cooking, cleaning, house maintenance, gardening, etc. Since July 2005, a facility manager employed by the students and the BSC lives on the premises to help with day-to-day operations of the house. Every weekday and on Sundays members cook a communal dinner, and on Saturdays there is a communal brunch. House's council, house's governing body where all members democratically make decisions pertaining the house, meets every Sunday. As the academic theme house of the BSC system, Cloyne has an increased number of studious spaces and lectures, including study rooms, a library, a
makerspace A hackerspace (also referred to as a hacklab, hackspace, or makerspace) is a community-operated, often "not for profit" ( 501(c)(3) in the United States), workspace where people with common interests, such as computers, machining, technology, ...
/
hackerspace A hackerspace (also referred to as a hacklab, hackspace, or makerspace) is a community-operated, often "not for profit" (501(c)(3) in the United States), workspace where people with common interests, such as computers, machining, technology, sc ...
(a rare case where members can both hack and live in the same building), and many lectures given by guest lecturers and members themselves. A common practice is also informal visits of UC Berkeley professors at communal dinners, allowing members to get to know them through a less formal setting. An example of a UC Berkeley faculty member visiting Cloyne is popular EECS professor John DeNero, who regularly presented about the joys of data for many semesters. The house is known for its murals covering many of its internal walls. Murals have been made through years by members residing in the house.


Music scene

Cloyne has played a notable role in the Bay Area music scene. The bands
No Doubt No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, they ...
,
Elliott Smith Steven Paul Smith (August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003), known professionally as Elliott Smith, was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of hi ...
,
Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a powe ...
, Operation Ivy,
The Offspring The Offspring is an American rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guita ...
, Rancid, Primus, 24-7 Spyz,
Save Ferris Save Ferris is an American ska punk band formed circa 1995 in Orange County, California, United States. Their name is a reference to the 1986 film ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off''. In 1995, the band began to perform underground venues in Southern Cal ...
,
Skankin' Pickle Skankin' Pickle was an American ska punk band formed in San Jose, California that was active from 1989 to 1997. Biography Skankin' Pickle first formed in December 1988, made up of students from Westmont High School and Los Gatos High School. T ...
,
The Mr. T Experience The Mr. T Experience (sometimes abbreviated MTX) is an American punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California, United States. They have released eleven full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured international ...
, Two Gallants, Blüchunks and
Rilo Kiley Rilo Kiley ( ) was an American indie rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1998, the band consisted of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Dave Rock. The group released their debut album ''Take-Offs and Landings'' ...
played at Cloyne before becoming well known. The house also hosted several lesser-known bands during its many events, presenting as many as a dozen bands in a single evening, commonly using two separate stages, though sometimes as many as four: the dining room, the lib-ed room, the basement, and the courtyard.


References


Bibliography

* Bender, Richard, Director. ''Campus Historic Resources Inventory, Berkeley'' University of California Planning Office, 1978. * Brechin, Gray. "Architectural heritage..." ''The Berkeley Gazette.'' 12 January 1977. * Cloyne Court Collection, ms. no. 75/35 c
Bancroft Library The Bancroft Library in the center of the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, is the university's primary special-collections library. It was acquired from its founder, Hubert Howe Bancroft, in 1905, with the proviso that it retai ...
, University of California. * City of Berkeley Landmark Application compiled by Anthony Bruce. 20 September 1982. * National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, compiled by Charles Bucher, Jr. with revisions and editing by Susan Cerny and Lesley Emmington. 8 June 1992.


External links


Official WebsiteCloyne's BSC webpageBig Co-op Houses - Google GroupsThe Cloyne Court Forum
a free forum for all

from the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association
Cloyne Court co-op history
from ''Cheap Place to Live'' by Guy H. Lillian, III
Cloyne Court Co-op House Manager 1986-87
unofficial page from 1996
Cloyne Court: Historic Structures Report, Preservation Architecture, July 27, 2007
*http://profileengine.com/groups/profile/431037357/cal-cloyne-court-19801987{{Dead link, date=July 2020 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes Berkeley Student Cooperative University of California, Berkeley buildings Residential buildings in Alameda County, California Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in California National Register of Historic Places in Berkeley, California Student housing cooperatives in the United States Defunct hotels in California Residential buildings completed in 1904 John Galen Howard buildings American Craftsman architecture in California