A steel building appears to be coming to the rescue of Berkley's alternative musicians.

Because The Shipyard, one of West Berkeley’s last remaining hangouts for techno and steampunk artists, has been under attacks by city inspectors in recent weeks, the plan is to put up a new general steel building to protect this long-institution.

“They have a plan, and it’s doable,” said Deputy Fire Chief David P. Orth, who had found 13 city and state fire code violations at the 1010 Murray St. facility in May.

Tensions had reached a breaking point that month, after Orth and two other city officials signed notices demanding that the yard’s 30 artists leave the odd collection of refurbished shipping containers that formed their studios.

The massive oblong steel boxes, stacked two and three deep along the perimeters of the industrial site, provoked the concerns of Orth, city Building Official Joan MacQuarrie and Zoning Officer Mark Rhoades.

The result? A detailed notice of 15 building code violations, four affronts to the city zoning code and three fire code breaches, accompanied by the threat of $2,500-a-day fines.

The notices prompted a strong reaction from Jim Mason, who leases the site and sublets to his fellow artists, and led to highly restrained relations between the artists and the city until architect Les Young intervened and took over the delicate task of managing relations between anarchic artists and city officialdom.

“All of the inspection items are out of the way now,” Young said. “We have plans for a new two-story metal building along Murray Street, and we’ll be lining up containers along the old railroad tracks for use as studios and for storage.”

Mason and Young have asked the property owner to finance construction of this project - the cost of which is unclear and will be based on current metal building prices - in return for an extended lease at a higher rent.

“He’s agreed,” said Young. “He would select the contractor, and the city will be dealing directly with him.”