A Walk Around the Block at Lakeshore Avenue

Dating back to 1928, the brick Hoge Building stands out in this southeast view down Lake Park Ave. at Lakeshore Ave. on Apr. 3, 1953. Only one structure on either side of Lake Park Ave. would survive the 1960s, but for very different reasons.

L247-02-Public Works Photo, Courtesy Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Dept. , (Image 1 of 41)

The Dept. of Public Works, Division of Highways, District IV, had the unenviable task of assessing the value of houses and buildings that were in the way of constructing the MacArthur Freeway. This update will review the eminent domain process from Grand Ave. to the east. Maps measuring 3 x 6 feet like the one depicted from Dec. 1955 organized the structures to be cleared or compared to. A detail follows.

L247-05-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5256, (Image 2 of 41)

In this one example, houses along Brookwood Rd., indicated by the color highlighted areas, are mapped along with recent home sales in the area, denoted here by the orange dots, and listings at the time this map was put together, green dots.

L247-10-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5256, Detail, (Image 3 of 41)

Here, from a different map from the same date, horizontal lines with hash marks define the borders of the highway right-of-way. Houses from Wesley Ave. to the western-most portion of Brookwood Rd. enclosed within the lines were to be evaluated for their value.

L247-15-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5256, (Image 4 of 41)

Although individual appraisals of each house evaluated listed the names of the owners, lists were also published to capture a whole area considered to be cleared along with the total squares footage.

L247-20-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5256, (Image 5 of 41)

To begin at Grand Ave, a different map is provided, as shown covering everything east of Broadway, Dec. 1955.

L247-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5256, (Image 6 of 41)

Placing a highway between Grand Ave. and Lakeshore Ave. was not a major problem in that it primarily split public land, East Shore Park, with the loss of a few palm trees. North view, Apr. 23, 1958.

L247-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5982-7 , (Image 7 of 41)

The red colored areas in this diagram indicate the small portion of additional land needed to be acquired between Grand Ave. and Lakeshore Ave. Once east of Lakeshore Ave., the right-of-way hit a wall of properties, each arbitrarily assigned a color as indicated.

L247-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, (Image 8 of 41)

This comparison of a northeast view from Beacon St. and Lakeshore Ave. from Aug. 30, 1955, left, versus 2021, right, illustrates how the highway was placed over the park land. The route sign is a reminder that MacArthur Blvd. had once served as part of Interstate Route 50, as well as California State Route 5. Ref: Left, Frank E. Johnson Photo; Right, Stuart Swiedler Photo

L247-40-Public Works Photo, Courtesy Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Dept. , (Image 9 of 41)

The area seen in this east view from Apr. 23, 1958 is where the walk around the block will begin. The red arrow marks the southeast corner of Lakeshore Ave. and Lake Park Ave., the direction heading southwest toward MacArthur Blvd. as indicated.

L247-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5982-7, (Image 10 of 41)

First, some background for this section of Lakeshore Ave. A west view circa 1930 between Lake Park Ave. and Excelsior Blvd., the latter to be incorporated later into MacArthur Blvd., shows commercial property backed on the south by a large apartment building. The white structure with the Terpezone sign deserves further explanation.

L247-50-Eston Cheney Photo D8848X, John Bosko Collection, Courtesy John Bosko, (Image 11 of 41)

The quackery of the Chicago-based company on the benefits of its "pinene ozone” was fully disseminated in the 1930s. Refs: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/for-health-breathe-terpezone/

L247-55-Multiple Internet Sources, (Image 12 of 41)

An earlier east view of the white building from Feb. 12, 1925 indicates a more residential flavor for this building, and the block as a whole. Appreciation to John Bosko for his input to this section.

L247-60-Eston Cheney Photo H-2079, John Bosko Collection, Courtesy John Bosko, (Image 13 of 41)

Since records of properties cleared by eminent domain are not generally available from the City of Oakland, knowledge of each property’s history would be difficult to come by. However, the extensive eminent domain appraisal conducted by Division IV makes this information available, including invaluable photographs. The initial folder to be displayed cover the properties shown to the left.

L247-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 14 of 41)

These appraisals were reviewed by numerous senior officials, and checked, and double-checked. The care and extensive effort put into these reports are evident from the expert analysis required to compensate affected property owners.

L247-70-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 15 of 41)

To begin the walk, the first property to be reviewed will be parcel no. 17922. Properties 17920 and 17921, corresponding to 561 and 557 Lake Park Ave., will be reviewed later in this presentation.

L247-75-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 16 of 41)

This building at the southwest corner of Lakeshore Ave. and Lake Park Ave. had the address 553 Lake Park Ave. It was about 40 years old at the time this east view was taken in 1956.

L247-80-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 17 of 41)

The data used for the appraisal, absent the comparison to recently sold or listed properties of similar structure and location, are shown here.

L247-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 18 of 41)

Next the building of interest, freed from its Terpezone past, is shown in a southeast view in 1956 when the structure was 40 years old.

L247-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249 , (Image 19 of 41)

The adjacent service station extending to the corner with Excelsior Blvd. was owned by the same individual, so the appraisal included both properties.

L247-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249 , (Image 20 of 41)

Next for the documentation, starting with the appraisal summary. Note the current owner had purchased the properties well before the idea of a freeway through the area was revealed.

L247-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 21 of 41)

The remarks shown here are very representative of the thorough historical and geographical components that contribute to the analysis conducted by District IV to determine property value. They also provide insight into how practical aspects of the area influenced the valuation of the property.

L247-105-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 22 of 41)

The walk continues around the block with the large apartment just off the northeast corner of Lakeshore Ave. and MacArthur Blvd., orange arrow. The material in this section will be presented along the route toward Wesley Ave., left to right, except in the following instructive comparison between the aforementioned apartment with one further east on MacArthur Blvd., yellow arrow.

L247-110-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5982-5, (Image 23 of 41)

Now a comparative ground view, southeast down MacArthur Blvd., the large apartment to start this section to the left.

L247-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 24 of 41)

A northeast view of 570 MacArthur Blvd. from 1956. Craig Sundstrom found that this building was called the Rosmar Manor Apartments, with Clay Burrell as architect, as indicated in the The Architect and Engineer, Oct. 1929, Page 79. https-//archive.org/details/architectenginee9930sanf/page/n57/mode/2up?view=theater

L247-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 25 of 41)

The 28 year old building was purchased in 1955, a year after the Apr. 7, 1954 publication of the initial proposed highway route in the Oakland Tribune. That map shows the route abutting or requiring this property. The documents present a fairly complex transaction for a very fine building.

L247-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5249, (Image 26 of 41)

An instructive comparison is the assessment of the building down MacArthur Ave., the east view, left panel, to the building mentioned in L247-110, right panel, 608 MacArthur Blvd.

L247-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5256 , (Image 27 of 41)

This 30 year old apartment was purchased prior to the public display of the highway route. The appraisal summary for the building indicates a number of recent transactions to increase the property value, gambling that the State would likely be purchasing it for the freeway construction. An outside real estate firm was hired to conduct an analysis. Examples of attempting to artificially raise the value of properties to be taken by the State were rare.

L247-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5256 , (Image 28 of 41)

Now back toward Lakeshore to review the smaller houses lining the north side of MacArthur Blvd. Note the comments enclosed in the red rectangles highlight the parking issues related to the area.

L247-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 29 of 41)

The houses assessed ranged from 33 years old., no. 574, to 46 years old, no. 592, in these north views from 1956. Nos. 582, 588 and 596 had been sold on Sept. 8, 1954, Oct. 15, 1953, and Mar. 6, 1953, respectively, the one for no. 582 coming after the Apr. 7, 1954 publication of the proposed highway route.

L247-145-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 30 of 41)

Next to make a left turn onto Wesley Ave., two aerial views shown from Apr. 8, 1953.

L247-150-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3300-28, l, 3300-27, r , (Image 31 of 41)

The top left panel shows a northeast view from MacArthur Blvd. down Wesley Ave. in 1956. The houses to be reviewed will be those on the west side of the street, the east side to be covered at another time. By this date, nos. 675 and 683 were 44 years old, and the other three, 36 years old. No. 687 sold as late as Aug. 8, 1955.

L247-155-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 32 of 41)

Once at the corner with Lake Park Ave., a left turn and a walk up the latter in 1956 would have revealed these large dwellings and apartment buildings on the south side of the street. The age of these structures falls between no. 573, built in 1926, and no. 581, built in 1911. No. 593 was purchased in 1952, and no. 567 in Jan. 1954.

L247-160-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 33 of 41)

This completes the walk around the block, this southeast view from Lakeshore Ave. down Lake Park Ave. taken in 1956, three years after the similar image shown in L247-02. All the buildings on the south side, right, of Lake Park Ave. would be lost to the highway. What about the Hoge Building and the north side?

L247-165-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 34 of 41)

Presented here is the comparable sale of no. 721 Wesley Ave. The property was a District IV comparable since it was not in the way of the highway right-of-way, but served as a guide to assign a price of those properties already discussed. West view, 1956.

L247-170-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 35 of 41)

In this northwest view from Apr. 8, 1953, no. 721 Wesley is marked by the turquoise dot. The area from that house to no. 755 Wesley, orange dot, will come into play soon, as will the city-owned, overgrown narrow corridor of land west of Trestle Glen Rd. between Wesley Ave. and Haddon Rd., green square. Again, all of these properties were north of the future highway path, and not appraised by District IV.

L247-175-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3300-28, Detail, (Image 36 of 41)

Now flipping the view to the east on Apr. 23, 1958, the same three properties are in view. At this point there is no highway construction visible, but an article appeared in the Apr. 24, 1958 Oakland Tribune that the Lakeshore Merchants Assoc., LMA, wanted the small city-owned vacant lot, green square, for a small parking lot creating 25 spaces. Neighbors protested that the action would require “spot” zoning, and wouldn’t solve long term parking issues.

L247-180-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 5982-7, Detail, (Image 37 of 41)

By July 12, 1960, the freeway path had been cleared, save for the apartment house at 608 MacArthur Blvd. After the City Planning Commission rejected the idea for the lot later in 1958, green square, Lakeshore property owners via the LMA asked the city council to form a special assessment district, Rand to Mandana to the north, and Lake Park to Trestle Glen on the south, to finance construction of a 110-space lot, the first parking district to be created in the East Bay. The property owners would have to pay off the capital investment and acquire the 6 homes on the north side of Wesley Ave., nos. 721-755, turquoise dot to orange dot.

L247-185-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 7584-3, Detail, (Image 38 of 41)

By Aug. 17, 1961, the larger lot was already completed. Extracted from several articles in the Oakland Tribune, between May 26 and Oct 20, 1960, the City Council invited sealed proposals or bids to build the lot. Assessment of properties to be acquired was ordered, and the financing bid winner was Stone and Youngberg, investment brokers from SF who offered to buy the 14-year bonds, charging an annual interest rate of 5.4%. The City Council approved the application for a use variance to establish a parking lot at 721-755 Wesley Ave. The project was described as a city-merchant endeavor.

L247-190-Ed Brady-Aerospace Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 149859ov, (Image 39 of 41)

Living along the remaining north part of Lake Park Ave. along the combination highway off ramp-westbound MacArthur Blvd. was no longer desirable. This house at no. 974 was the last one standing along that stretch, the demolition permit signed on June 19, 1987, the owner the petroleum company Unocal. Between 1959 and this time, the building had been converted to a 6-unit apartment house. This property can be seen enclosed within the green rectangle in the next image from 1965.

L247-195-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Folder 5251, (Image 40 of 41)

In mid-1965, Lucky Supermarkets obtained and demolished the remaining two properties on Wesley Ave., and most of Lake Park Ave., as shown enclosed within the two sets of orange rectangles, respectively. Petroleum Engineers obtained a permit to demolish the remaining structures, red rectangle, including the Hoge building, in Aug. 1966. Acknowledgement of Betty Marvin and Craig Sundstrom for contributing research on this final section. Ref: cas-65-130_6-112

L247-200-Courtesy University of California Santa Barbara Library and Google Earth, (Image 41 of 41)