BERKELEY CA (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse in Berkeley, California is looking towards the groundbreaking ceremony for its new home which is slated to take place on April 1st.
The new facility will serve as the new home for the non-profit Berkeley Society for the Preservation of Traditional Music, which is preparing for its 40th anniversary in June.
The new building will have a performance room with 440 seats, a significant upgrade from the current location. Their current space can accommodate just 220 patrons and the BSPTM estimates that lose 2-3 shows a month due to the limited capacity and this is on top of 5-7 SRO shows a month, leading to prospective customers being turned away for want of space.
The new building will also include additional space for a cafe, classrooms for music education, a folk and traditional music archive, and office facilities. The move will also place the Freight & Salvage closer to the downtown arts district, with easier access to the BART.
The project is expected to cost $11 million, of which $7.9 million has already been raised. Construction is already underway and the Society expects to be open for business at the new location by 2009. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
