This major milestone signals the end of an era for the Lab. Building 54, Perseverance Hall, and the patio area in front of the building served as the hub for Lab activity since it opened in 1950. Below is a selection of images from the Lab archives showing the many festivals, retirement parties, poster sessions, open houses, and great conversations hosted in Building 54 over the years, as well as renderings of what the future holds for the site.

The demolition of Building 54 also marks a huge step forward in the Seismic Safety and Modernization new facility project. The new facility will be a thoughtful, flexible replacement facility to meet the Lab’s future needs. It will serve as a new front door for the Laboratory, improving the day-to-day experience of our Lab community, and our visitors.
1960 International Conference on Instrumentation for High-Energy Physics
Meeting incoming Lab director Andy Sessler at Family Day 1973
Retirement party for Wilson Powell, who led the magnet group for the Manhattan project and at Berkeley Lab after WWII
Estelle Purcell prepares salad at the cafeteria, March 1963
Berkeley Lab Cafeteria, March 1963
Aerial photograph showing B54, foreground, and the Guest House (B23) in 2012
Ergonomics Fair, 1996
Holiday Crafts Fair, undated
LBNL Jazz Band performs at the cafeteria stage, 2001
Poster session, undated
Green team planning bulb planting in front of B54, undated
Halloween party, 2005
Celebration of George Smoot’s Nobel Prize, 2006
Interior of the food service area, undated
Berkeley Lab Farmer’s Market , 2011
Holiday party, 2012
Outdoor dining patio, 2014
Lexicon of Sustainability Pop Up Art Show, April 2017
Cafe baristas Marie Daugherty and Brittney Harris, July 2017
Reading Room, which was located on lower level of the cafeteria, undated
Cafeteria during lab standby in response to the shelter-in-place order, March 2020
Meals are set out for pick-up in the cafeteria during COVID, October 2020
Building 54 at sunset, 2021
2022 Berkeley Lab Research SLAM participants and organizers sit on the patio stage, September 2022
Advanced Light Source upgrade (ALS-U) event, November 2022
2022 Director’s Achievement Awards reception, November 2022
Alameda County Fire conducted training exercises in B54, including cutting holes in the roof, the weekend before it was demolished
Alameda County Fire conducted training exercises in B54, including cutting holes in the roof, the weekend before it was demolished
Material such as wires, asbestos, and glass were removed from the building prior to demolition
Material such as wires, asbestos, and glass were removed from the building prior to demolition
Seismic Safety & Modernization team view B54 as part of DOE Review, August 2023
B54 after abatement and before demolition, August 2023
Demolition begins on main level, August 2023
Demolition begins on main level, August 2023
The view after B54’s main level is demolished, August 2023
#ErnestInspires: Deputy Lab Director Michael Brandt looks over the demolition site with a representation of Lab founder Ernest Lawrence. August 2023
The view after B54’s main level is demolished, August 2023
Drawing of proposed front of new facility
Drawing of proposed interior of new facility
Drawing of proposed interior of new facility
Still great views from the future facility
B54 demolished August 2023
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5 Comments

  • Miles Green says:
    August 28, 2023 at 8:52 am

    Wow, this is amazing. Thanks for the sneak peek of the demolition project. Many good times were had at the old cafeteria building 54. Can’t wait to see what comes next!

  • John Parr says:
    August 28, 2023 at 9:01 am

    Thaks for sharing the pics and timeline. It is exciting to see this project come to fruition!

  • Laurel says:
    August 28, 2023 at 10:22 am

    What a powerful photo essay. Thank you for this story honoring the Cafeteria, our culture, and B54 history

  • Lisa Ehlers says:
    August 28, 2023 at 11:05 am

    It was exciting to watch the demolition of the old building and I can’t wait to start construction on the new facility, which will be the heart of the Lab.

  • Laura B. Crosby says:
    September 8, 2023 at 12:01 pm

    The cafeteria’s demolition website you created is wonderful, thank you! It’s sad to watch the old building fall since we celebrated so much there. Knowing we will have a fantastic new structure for the benefit of the entire Lab is quite thrilling!!