Oakland’s 16th Street Station gets historic status, while advocates fight encroaching development

A landmark of the Prescot neighborhood, Oakland’s 16th Street Station is hard to miss. Just off Interstate 880, the 40-feet-tall Beaux Arts style building towers above surrounding homes and squat industrial buildings. The station is fenced off, with graffiti covering the terracotta cladding below the building’s three signature grand arched windows. 

Built in 1912, the former transportation hub was once the largest Southern Pacific Railroad station in Northern California. It served as a meeting place during the Civil Rights Movement for America’s first Black union: The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. But the station hasn’t been used since the early 1990s.

Damage from the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989 and decades of neglect have left the building in a vulnerable state, prompting residents and preservationists to advocate for its restoration.

After a years-long campaign, Oakland’s 16th Street Station officially has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Oakland Heritage Alliance, a nonprofit focused on protecting and preserving Oakland’s culture, history, and architecture, announced the news in a newsletter on Jan. 24.

Due to the station’s extensive internal damage, the OHA estimates that repairs could cost over $100 million. To prevent a future collapse from an earthquake, the building’s structure must be stabilized. The OHA has proposed a restoration plan to transform the station into a community space. This plan includes the transformation of the main hall into an area to be used for events, farmers markets, entertainment and retail. The OHA is worried that a developer’s plans may interfere with theirs.

In 2022, City Ventures, a housing developer based in San Francisco and Irvine, purchased 2.5 acres surrounding the station, where it plans to build townhomes. The proposed project at 1405 Wood St. would include 77 units as well as a parking area. 

The development plans are under review by the Oakland Planning Department. 

In its first application to the City Planning Commission, City Ventures said the project “will complement the Wood Street neighborhood’s goal of creating an active, pedestrian-oriented community in West Oakland.” City Ventures did not respond to Oakland North’s calls for comment.

Concerned that the development could restrict access to 16th Street Station, the OHA is calling for a plan that doesn’t affect the station’s property. The organization has launched a petition urging City Ventures to prioritize the preservation of the station’s history. The petition has about 2,500 signatures.

“You can’t just choke the building off; you have to make sure it looks like a historical building all around it,” said Feleciai Favroth, OHA treasurer. 

“We need to find a developer who believes in this station but also gets the input of the community,” Feleciai added. “What does the community want with this station?”

The building’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places opens the door to new sources of funding, including federal historic preservation tax credits. According to Daniel Levy, OHA president, tax credits could pave the way for future reconstruction.

“Fox Oakland Theater leveraged this same designation to bring in $16 million in tax credits for its rehabilitation,” Levy said.

‘History matters’

On March 9, the Oakland Heritage Alliance hosted a community event to unveil the plaque commemorating 16th Street Station’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places. 

The fenced-off building is inaccessible to the public, but the grounds surrounding it, including a community garden area, were opened for the event. The two-hour celebration on a sunny winter afternoon brought together hundreds of Oakland residents, including children who were busy coloring and families enjoying lunch from a food truck.

Students from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco collaborated with the Oakland Heritage Alliance to reimagine the future of the station by creating architectural models that were on display.

“For me, this process highlighted the importance of connecting the station legacy to future generations,” said architect and teacher Sameena Sitabkhan.

Before the plaque was unveiled to wild applause, speakers talked about the station’s relevance and rich history as well as the importance of preserving it.

“History matters,” Grant Hodge told those gathered. “Community matters, and the future matters.”

(Top photo from the March 9 celebration, by Natalie Rhein)

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