Oakland Central 16th Street Station Building (Oakland, California)

USA / California / Emeryville / Oakland, California
 interesting place, former train/railway station
The 16th Street Oakland train station was for many decades a major railroad station of the Southern Pacific railroad, designed by Jarvis Hunt in the Beaux Arts style. It was a companion (or "city station") for the Oakland Terminal, which was located two miles away adjacent to downtown Oakland. The Terminal, also known as the "Mole", was demolished in 1960, leaving the 16th Street Station as the major Oakland rail hub. It suffered significant damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and was closed. Its railroad function has since been replaced by the major Amtrak station in nearby Emeryville.

The station buildings remain largely intact, including the switchman's tower and ironwork elevated platforms which, before the completion of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge, were utilized by commuter trains of SP's East Bay Electric Lines. The train station was once the main gateway into the Bay Area for newcomers from other regions of the country. But when passenger rail lost prominence several decades ago, so did the station. The building’s intricate beaux-arts facade and interior details have been left to deteriorate and be covered by graffiti.

Redevelopment plans have been slow in moving from best intentions to actions. As of the Fall of 2008, BRIDGE Housing Corporation was chosen with a successful track record in redeveloping other iconic Oakland sites. It is now used as a multi-purpose event space for ceremonies, film shoots, and receptions through 2019.

www.16thstreetstation.com/
www.trainweb.org/usarail/oakland.htm
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Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_Street_Station
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   37°48'56"N   122°17'50"W

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  • Website documenting the redevelopment progress: http://welcomeaboard.com/d/16thSt.html
This article was last modified 4 years ago