U of C - Richmond Field Station Heliport

The heliport was closed primarily due to obsolescence and the strategic redevelopment of the land. As research programs at the Richmond Field Station evolved, the specific need for a dedicated heliport diminished. The University of California's long-term plan to transform the site into the modern, dense Richmond Bay Campus prioritized the land for new laboratories, academic facilities, and support infrastructure, rendering the heliport redundant.

The site of the former heliport is now fully integrated into the UC Berkeley Richmond Bay Campus. The physical helipad and its markings have been removed. The specific location at coordinates 37.913799, -122.332002 is now part of the campus grounds, consisting of paved areas, open space, and land adjacent to active research buildings. The entire campus is a major center for scientific research and is undergoing continued development.

The U of C - Richmond Field Station Heliport was a private, special-use aviation facility serving the University of California, Berkeley's Richmond Field Station (RFS). Its primary function was to support the wide range of advanced research conducted on-site. This included operations for the Earthquake Engineering Research Center, the Institute of Transportation Studies, and various environmental science laboratories. The heliport was likely used for transporting key personnel, moving sensitive scientific equipment, and conducting aerial research, such as surveys, sample collection, or observation missions. It was a functional tool that supported the university's scientific and engineering work for several decades.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the heliport. The official long-range development plans for the UC Berkeley Richmond Bay Campus are focused on creating a high-density, world-class research and innovation hub. Re-establishing an aviation facility is not part of this vision and would be incompatible with the planned land use, safety considerations, and acoustic environment of a modern academic campus.