Everyone else saw an abandoned masonic temple – forgotten, grim, unusable. We saw a space that could hold both history and life, work and play.
As it had been used as a commercial space in the past, we worked with the City of Oakland to get the property entitled and converted into two bi-level live/work townhouses with individual decks, raised ceilings, brick walls,and a common lobby. And while we brought the façade cleanly into the modern day, we kept the distinct character of old. Triple gable roof and all. Since the property is landlocked on either side, we added skylights to open up the space and let the light in.
Even though the site had been untouched for years, we saw its potential and used its history to everyone’s advantage.