ɹˈɛkəɡnˌaɪzɪŋ ðə nˈiːd tə ɹᵻstˈoːɹ fˈʊl ˈæksɛs tə ðə fəsˈɪlᵻɾi, ˈiːðɚ baɪ ɹᵻpˈɛɹ ɔːɹ ɹᵻloʊkˈeɪʃən, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn tʃˈæbɑːt əbzˈɜːvətˌoːɹi ænd sˈaɪəns sˈɛntɚ wʌz fˈɔːɹmd æz ɐ dʒˈɔɪnt pˈaʊɚz ˈeɪdʒənsi wɪððə sˈɪɾi ʌv ˈoʊklənd, ðɪ ˈoʊklənd jˈuːnɪfˌaɪd skˈuːl dˈɪstɹɪkt, ænd ðɪ ˈiːst bˈeɪ ɹˈiːdʒənəl pˈɑːɹk dˈɪstɹɪkt, ɪn kəlˌæbɚɹˈeɪʃən wɪððɪ ˈiːstbeɪ ɐstɹənˈɑːmɪkəl səsˈaɪəɾi, ænd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː wʌz ɹˈɛkəɡnˌaɪzd æz ɐ nˌɑːnpɹˈɑːfɪt ˌɔːɹɡɐnᵻzˈeɪʃən.
Recognizing the need to restore full access to the facility, either by repair or relocation, in 1989 Chabot Observatory & Science Center was formed as a Joint Powers Agency with the City of Oakland, the Oakland Unified School District, and the East Bay Regional Park District, in collaboration with the Eastbay Astronomical Society, and in 1992 was recognized as a nonprofit organization.