In the Way of the MacArthur Maze – Part 1, Center for the Adult Blind

L206-05-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 1 of 48)

L206-10-Compiled by Stuart Swiedler , (Image 2 of 48)

A south-bound Key System no. 5 line car sits at Telegraph Ave. and 36th Street in Oakland along side of the office-retail store for the State Industrial Home for the Adult Blind. Note the interesting exterior artwork in this west view from Dec. 18, 1942. For ease of presentation and historical continuity to the present, this institution will be referred to as the “Center for the Blind.”

L206-15-Vernon Sappers Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 72028ks, (Image 3 of 48)

Ahead to 1959, crossing to the east side of Telegraph Ave. several hundred feet further north would have provided a panoramic west view of the Telegraph Ave.-facing portion of no. 3601 Telegraph Ave, at that point the California Industries and Orientation Center for the Adult Blind. All photos from 1959 in this presentation were taken by Dene Ogden.

L206-20-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 4 of 48)

Entering the property from Telegraph Ave. would have revealed the dormitory buildings fronted by a fountain and large trees. Much of the architecture of the institution can be traced to George B. McDougall, from the famous family of California architects, the McDougall Bros., who became State Architect in 1913. Spanish revival and Mission styles of architecture were utilized. West view, 1959.

L206-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 5 of 48)

A closer look at the fountain celebrating Aphrodite is seen here, created by a sculpture yet to be identified. West view, 1959.

L206-30-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 6 of 48)

The Department of Education of the State of California appointed 29 year old Allen Jenkins as Director in 1951, a position he would hold for over 40 years. Mr. Jenkins lost his sight at age 8, but completed UC Berkeley and excelled for the state as a rehabilitation specialist for the blind.

L206-35-Compiled by Stuart Swiedler , (Image 7 of 48)

This modified set of Sanborn maps accounts for major changes that occurred prior to the images from 1959 that will be highlighted in this presentation. In addition to the industrial buildings, emphasis was placed in 1939 on building a larger set of dormitories, shown within the purple boxes. Permit A76452, Jan. 17, 1939, recorded a two-story, 43-room concrete structure valued at 250k dollars.

L206-40-Courtesy Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department , (Image 8 of 48)

A contract to build the centrally-placed Executive Building dates to September 6, 1887 with builder W. McDonald at a cost of 8450 dollars. It was incorporated into the new dorms when they were expanded in 1939 according to information on L206-165. Images of several of the early structures are shown at https://localwiki.org/oakland/Industrial_Home_for_the _Adult_Blind

L206-45-Courtesy Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland City Planning Department , (Image 9 of 48)

The Center for the Blind parcel became part of the complex condemnation process initiated in the 1950s by the California Department of Public Works, Division of Highways to build Highways 580 and 24, and their intersection, today referred to as the MacArthur Maze. The process to include the parcel was not strictly eminent domain since it was owned by the State, but the process had similar features.

L206-50-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 10 of 48)

These cover pages begin the document produced by the Division of Highways to evaluate the property occupied by the Center for the Blind. The format of this document is very representative of the documents produced for condemnations by eminent domain.

L206-55-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 11 of 48)

L206-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 12 of 48)

Documents such as this one that clarified certain sticking points about the land in question were generally placed in these documents before the appraisal section.

L206-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 13 of 48)

L206-70-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 14 of 48)

This document included a detailed description of the property to be taken in terms of the surrounding neighborhood, the site itself, improvements to the property, the State’s requirements, type of appraisal, and zoning. Maps and diagrams were also provided. For this case, this material will be presented in Part 2, since it contains important historical accounts of the action taken.

L206-75-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 15 of 48)

Images and sales information related to the comparable properties mentioned here will be presented after the full description of the property starting with image L206-210. This is where the latter information is presented in the actual document.

L206-80-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 16 of 48)

L206-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 17 of 48)

Here is a list in order of presentation of the buildings for this institution. Valuations follow each image unless indicated differently. The valuations contain useful information such as date and origins of building, building materials used in construction of the building, and the contents that were to be left behind. The latter is the only way to know what some of the buildings were used for circa 1960.

L206-90-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 18 of 48)

Factory Trades Building.

L206-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 19 of 48)

An image of the warehouse is presented next.

L206-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 20 of 48)

Butler Building Warehouse.

L206-105-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 21 of 48)

Warehouse Broom Supplies.

L206-110-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 22 of 48)

L206-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 23 of 48)

Broom Factory.

L206-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 24 of 48)

L206-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 25 of 48)

L206-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 26 of 48)

Cottage Classroom.

L206-135-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 27 of 48)

L206-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 28 of 48)

Boiler House.

L206-145-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 29 of 48)

L206-150-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 30 of 48)

Northeast View of Dormitories from 36th St.

L206-155-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 31 of 48)

Northeast View Along 36th St. of Corner Dormitories.

L206-160-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 32 of 48)

L206-165-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 33 of 48)

L206-170-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 34 of 48)

Northwest View from 36th and Telegraph of Office and Shop Building. City records show permit A41799, Dec. 30, 1929, J. B. Bishop, builder, George B. McDougall, architect for this 1-story concrete office built for 11,251 dollars.

L206-175-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 35 of 48)

L206-180-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 36 of 48)

Superintendent’s Cottage. City records show permit A49828, May 3, 1932, Gaubert Bros., builders, George B. McDougall, architect for this 2-story, 7-room dwelling built for 12,000 dollars. This structure replaced the original Superintendent’s dwelling.

L206-185-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 37 of 48)

L206-190-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 38 of 48)

Former Brush Factory Building.

L206-195-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 39 of 48)

L206-200-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 40 of 48)

L206-205-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 41 of 48)

Shown here is the list of comparable properties mentioned in L206-80. These are composed of recent sales or sale offers used to determine the value of the property in question. Although not true in this case per se, many comparables for other takings were derived from homes sold just outside the border of a new road for those not wanting to stay in the area.

L206-210-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 42 of 48)

Here is an example of a comparable page, in this case the abandoned Senator Theater, designated in the document as 1700.1. Not noted here is that the theater address during operation was 3856 Telegraph Ave. It opened on Sept. 28, 1925, and page 35 of the Jan. 5, 1961 Oakland Tribune showed the first day of its destruction, six months after being sold to Bischoff’s Surgical.

L206-215-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 43 of 48)

In each case, the photographs accompanying the document were scanned at a higher resolution for archive purposes.

L206-220-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 44 of 48)

These apartments stood at 4717 Telegraph Ave.-4710 Shattuck Ave., a three year old structure at the time. This is a west view from Telegraph. In 2019, there is a lot at the corner of 46th St. and a new building adjacent to it. Labelled in the list as 1225.1.

L206-225-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 45 of 48)

The east view from Shattuck Ave. of 4717 Telegraph Ave.-4710 Shattuck Ave., 1225.1.

L206-230-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 46 of 48)

This is a northeast view of 4012 Telegraph Ave., designated 3750, between 40th-41st. In 2019, the Safeway and its lot are now a Mercedes-BMW dealership. Apartments surrounded by orange bracket are still there, as is the apartment on 40th St., blue arrow.

L206-235-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584, (Image 47 of 48)

The last view looks west at 3121 Telegraph Ave., between 31st and 32nd Sts., designated as 1460.1. Three years old at the time, the building was converted into an apartment building and is largely unaltered. Next time, a historical account of Center for the Blind and the construction of the MacArthur Maze.

L206-240-Copyright California Department of Transportation, Binder 5584 , (Image 48 of 48)