2025 CC SA-BY Our Oakland
The 1600 Broadway-Telegraph Block refers to the triangular block between Broadway and Telegraph, from Latham Square to 17th St. The largest and most notable building is the Cathedral Building at the gore point where Broadway and Telegraph originally met. The block is part of the Downtown Oakland Historic District.
NB: This is an artificial construct to simplify discussing the common history of the buildings and other structures on the block.
As with many areas of Oakland, the addresses were subject to renumbering, as shown on the Sanborn maps. The Telegraph addresses changed from 1302-1328 to 2-38 in August 1894, 1,2,3 and finally to 1600-1646 in late 1911-early 1912. 4 The Broadway addresses changed from 1305-1325 to 1601-1641.
The Downtown Oakland Historic District form suggests that 1621-1635 Broadway were redesigns, though an article about 1627-1629 says it was new. 1639-1641 Broadway (the Bercovich Building) was newly constructed in 1923.
1889 Sanborn excerpt
1902 Sanborn excerpt
1912 Sanborn excerpt
1951 Sanborn excerpt
The earlier Sanborn maps show a variety of businesses, including bicycle repair, piano repair, sausage making, and auto supplies. Once the upper part of the block was redesigned in the 1920s, the stores became decidedly more upscale, including Hudson Bay Fur Company, Loeb and Velasco Jewelers, and Davidson and Licht Jewelers.
detail of 1914 photo, courtesy Tim Sanchez
Pages tagged “1600 BT”
Links and References
- An Ordinance in Relation to the Renumbering of Buildings on Telegraph Avenue, San Pablo Avenue and Valley Street Oakland Tribune June 26, 1894
- Hard on the Engineer Oakland Times August 14, 1894
- An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 1623 Oakland Enquirer February 6, 1896
- No Mail Today? Blame Yourself Oakland Tribune January 23, 1912
