The Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Piedmont Way Project

Today the Berkeley Association of Realtors hosted a Membership Luncheon on The Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Piedmont Way Project. A grass roots organization, the Friends of Piedmont Way, has formed a partnership with the City of Berkeley and the University of California at Berkeley to rehabilitate and preserve one of Fredrick Law Olmsted's signature curvilinear parkways. Located along Piedmont Avenue, the parkway runs through the neighborhood originally know as the Berkeley Property Tract. The ambitious four part restoration marks a trend toward embracing landscape architecture for its important historical significance in conjunction with the existing movement to preserve land marked buildings.

The Piedmont Way Project was Fredrick Law Olmsted's first residential commission drafted in 1865. Olmsted is one of our country's first famous landscape architects, who's numerous accomplishments include New York City's Central Park and the Capitol Grounds in Washington D.C.

Olmsted envisioned a roadway sheltered from the sun and wind by "an over arching bowery of foliage."

Over time, the street scape has deviated from Olmsted’s original vision as a result of development, the addition of overhead power lines, road repairs and maintenance, and the removal of original flora.

Through a 100% volunteer effort, Friends of Piedmont Way has come a long way toward getting the project off the ground. This fledgling needs your help to fly. Donations and volunteers are needed to see the project to its fruition. Go to www.piedmontway.org for more information on how you can help recreate a historic greenbelt.