charming building

Oakland is full of lovely old apartment buildings like this one.  Because housing has gotten so expensive, there is now a building boom going on here in town.  I doubt many of us could afford what the new apartments and condos will cost.  So the new construction will not offer much relief from exorbitant rents.  The long term outcomes of this cycle will not be pretty.

Chinatown restaurant

This very distinctive building is a restaurant in Chinatown.  It appears to have new owners who have spruced it up.  It used to have excess furniture stored on the balcony and had a run down feel to it. Now it shines and I hope they are doing well.

Oakland's castle

Downtown Oakland still has an amazing number of its old-time buildings.  So much so that I've often wondered why Hollywood hasn't used it more for period movies.  Here's one, probably from the 30s, still holding onto its original sign.  I'm guessing it's now a strictly residential hotel.  One day I'll check out the entrance and lobby.

West Oakland beauty

There was a spurt of development in Oakland after the 1906 earthquake as San Franciscans, who lost their homes to the giant earthquake and ensuing fire, came to Oakland to resettle.  West Oakland has a still has huge number of their pre-earthquake Victorian houses.  This beauty has been lovingly restored and just shines.  I love that rounded porch.

mortuary architecture

Have you ever noticed that mortuary architecture is quite grand?  I wonder why that is?  This business goes back to 1873, although I doubt the building does.

Weekend Reflection: dusk at the Lake

Clear skies and calm air provides nice flat water for reflections.  The conical building is the recently constructed Cathedral of Christ the Light for the local Catholic diocese.  Linked to Weekend Reflections.

the Superior Court at dusk

This is the Superior Court building at dusk.  Built in the 1930s, it is a well-recognized profile around Lake Merritt.

Theme Day: Landmark

The Tribune Tower is one our most iconic buildings.  Even though the Tribune no longer resides in their 1923 tower, downtown Oakland still seems to revolve around it.  On this day it was flying the Pride flag for the local Gay Pride parade.  Sometimes it flies a flag that says There.  Today is the first of the month and the City Daily Photo theme is Landmark.  Click here to see contributions from around a world.

fine day to walk the lake

 

It was a fine day to walk around Lake Merritt.  The pelican chorus line was in fine form as they paddled around the southern shore.  In the background is the county superior court building.  It's called deco but to me it looks like post-war Stalinist.  The skies are blue but the light is changing just like the seasons.

colors of the rainbow

The woman who painted this house has a bold sense of color.  It probably has too many colors for my taste, but then I'm one of those people who is intimidated by color.  Her car's pant job adds to the boldness of the overall appearance.  Her neighbor told me that lots of people walking by take pictures of the house.

the wedding cake

The cupola of City Hall.   Standing at the height of 320 feet, City Hall was the first high-rise government building in the United States. At the time it was built in 1914, it was also the tallest building west of the Mississippi.  The mayor, at the time of the building's inauguration, had recently been married, hence its nickname of the Wedding Cake.

downtown skyline

Walking downtown the other day I hit upon a view of our two government buildings.  The nearer buildings with the peaked roofs are the Dellum's Federal Building complex.  Down the block is the State of California building.  The morning fog had burned off to reveal blue skies.

Temple Sinai

Temple Sinai is a reform synagogue located on the edge of the Uptown area.  The congregation was established in the late 1880s after European Jews settled in the area subsequent to the Gold Rush.  This building was built in 1910 and proudly sits on the corner of Webster and 28th Street.  The most recent rains did not appear and we are now doomed to sunny skies for at least another week.  In the meantime, trees are leafing out and spring blooms are everywhere.  Linking to Skywatch Friday.

D is for doorway

Spanish-style architecture has been popular for a long time in the Bay Area.  As in LA, it dates back to the 18th century land grant era.  This old 4-plex, possibly from the 1920s, has many of the style's components:  tiled entries, wrought iron, arches, and terracotta roof tiles.  Lovely, don't you think?  Spotted in the Bella Vista neighborhood.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

lovely old house

This graceful old house anchors a corner in the Bella Vista neighborhood of East Oakland.  Love that oval hallway window.  Oakland has tons of old and pre-1906 earthquake houses.  The skies are still blue and dry.  The temperature reached 75 today.  Hardly a typical winter, and a harbinger of drought.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.

The old Parkway Theater

The old Parkway Theater on Park Blvd. was a popular place for second run movies.  It was known for cheap tickets, casual seating using sofas and loveseats, pizzas and beer, and family night for families with small children and infants.  The story I heard is that the landlord raised the rent, the theater couldn't afford it, and the operation shut down.  The theater has been empty since 2009.  A new Parkway later opened in a neighboring town and now the new, new Parkway has just opened in Oakland's Uptown area.  Sofas and loveseats--check.  Pizza and beer--check.  You decide how much to pay for the tickets--whoa!

county superior court

The Alameda County Superior Court, built in 1934, is positioned on the shore of Lake Merritt.  This late afternoon shot was taken from a roof garden at the Oakland Museum.   The heatwave is over but the sunny skies continue.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.

X is for Xantrion

First I noticed the old, attractive building, then I noticed the business name starting with X.  And then I thought of ABC Wednesday.  Snap. 

Southern Pacific station

You may or may not know that Oakland was the terminus for the transcontinental railroad after the gold spike was driven.  The Southern Pacific station in West Oakland is a Beaux Arts building constructed in 1912 and was part of an extended railway system that developed in Oakland after the Civil War.  It was closed in 1989 after being damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake.  The building was granted historical status amid plans and promises to renovate and repurpose it.  Almost 25 years later it remains closed, surrounded by a cyclone fence, and slowly disintegrating.  Such a pity.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

victorian on Ivy Hill

Oakland has a multitude of Victorian houses that survived the 1906 earthquake.  This lovely Queen Ann with fish scale shingles is on Ivy Hill.  You saw another shot of Ivy Hill last week.  Not only is the weather fair, and the skies clear, we've also been having a heat wave accompanied by warm easterly winds.  Not a good combination in fire season.  It's supposed to cool down tonight with a return to our typical, cool westerly winds.  Fingers crossed.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.