Hotel Savoy - Oakland

1914, courtesy Tim Sanchez
Cheney Photo Advertising

The Hotel Savoy was a hotel at 15th and Jefferson. The building (and the adjacent Oaks Hotel) are now The Savoy, affordable housing run by SAHA. For some years, the Hotel Savoy was known as the Jefferson Inn, and run as a market-rate hotel. ¹

The building was designed by A.W. Smith. ⁷ Constructed in 1912, the Hotel Savoy opened in 1913. Even before it was opened, it was leased to N.A. Primrose for 10 years. ²

1913 ³2020 CC SA-BY Our Oakland

The hotel was sold in 1920 by I.L. and W.P. Green, of Butte, MT, to H.C. Bell, Glenn County, CA, for $175,000. ⁶

In 1923, the People's Finance and Thrift Co. had its office in the Hotel Savoy. ⁴

A fire at the paint and paper store of Charles Nelson at 1418 Jefferson imperiled the Hotel Savoy and the Hotel Sutter, and damaged the Oaks Hotel. ⁵

Sometime after 1969, the name was changed to the Jefferson Inn.

Vehicles in the 1914 photo

#5638, detail of 1914 photo

The car on the left is a Columbus electric car. License plate #5638 was registered to Katherine Kindlespire of Berkeley in 1914.

Registered Automobiles 1914 California State Printing Office

detail of 1914 photo

The car on the right is similar, but with a few differences. Unfortunately the image isn't clear enough to make out the license plate number on it. It may be a Detroit Electric, #33685, registered to Mrs. W.L. Brobeck of Berkeley. Or it may be a Columbus Electric or a Baker Electric.

Registered Automobiles 1914 California State Printing Office