Urban Landslides/Merritt Avenue - Oakland

1958 ³

The Merritt Avenue landslide occurred during February and March of 1958. It ultimately destroyed or damaged 7 buildings.

According to Oakland Geology, 10 inches of rain fell in February, and another 10 in March. It's possible that infiltration, coupled with recent construction of new "ultra-modern" houses here, overburdened the slope, quite near the Cleveland Cascade on the steepest stretch of the heights overlooking Lake Merritt. The site was soon redeveloped, suggesting that the slide was superficial; however there are no geotechnical reports to infer more. Residents accused the city of deficient sewer and drainage lines in a later claim. ⁷

On February 22, the homes at 467 (Meyer Lightner) and 473 Merritt (Philip Schiebner) were showing cracks inside and out, and the sewer lines were severed. The city supervising engineer said "occupants had been warned that it might be advisable to leave." The patio at the rear of 457 Merritt (Y. Charles Soda) began crumbling, too. ¹

By the next day, it was clear the two damaged homes were a total loss. Charles Soda was a contractor who had built those houses; he had workmen scrambling to try to protect his house. The slide extended as far as the Lake Heights Apartments at 479 Merritt. The building manager was instructed to check the foundation every hour for cracks. Several buildings in the 2300 block of Lakeshore were also thought to be in danger for the mud from above. ²

Lightners view their doomed home San Francisco Examiner

Mayor Cliff Rishell declared a state of emergency and ordered the two homes demolished. Residents of the Lake Heights Apartments were ordered to evacuate. ³

The next day, the residents of 457 Merritt (Ray Pulver in 453; and Charles Soda in 473) were ordered to evacuate their homes, which were on two levels of the same building. Officials suggested to the owner of 2308 Lakeshore (Anna C. Gray) that she move her building to nearby city land temporarily. Although not as in as much danger, the apartment building at 2316 Lakeshore (also owned by Gray) had also been evacuated. ⁴

Things seemed grim for 2308 Lakeshore, and the residents of 2300 Lakeshore were told to be ready to evacuate. ⁵

In March, the land was still moving. The apartment at 2324 Lakeshore was showing cracks internally, and a garage behind it was pushed off its foundation against the adjacent apartment house. Schiebner and Lightner who had owned the homes above also jointly owned the building at 2324; they had relinquished ownership to their insurance company. The buildings at 2308 and 2316 owned by Anna Gray were still threatened by the mud, but she had workers removing mud as it approached the buildings. ⁶

Nearby, in April residents of the Alta Vista Apartments at 441 Merritt were told to evacuate after cracks appeared in the rear of their building.

Aftermath

In May, lawsuits were filed against the city by the various owners and residents. ⁷

Y. Charles and Helen Soda - $96,700 for the triplex at 457-459 Merritt
Anna Gray - $162,500 for the apartments at 2308 and 2316 Lakeshore
Maybelle Cornwall - $31,500 for damage to 479 Merritt
Evelyn Walsh - $2,647 for furniture and possessions lost in her rental at 479 Merritt
Meyer and Annie Lightner, and Philip and Nettie Schiebner - $214,662 for residences at 467 and 473 Merritt, plus the apartment at 2324 Lakeshore

At the end of May, the city and the property owners were still deadlocked.

The 1960 Sanborn shows:

2324 Lakeshore - demolished
2308 and 2316 Lakeshore - replaced with a new apartment building (permit approved in 1959)
2300 Lakeshore - replaced with a new apartment building (possibly; it's a similar shape, but smaller; The Cascades Apartments)
467 and 473 Merritt - replaced with a new apartment building (Merritt Heights Apartments)

2324 Lakeshore was later replaced with an apartment building; it now shares an entry gate with 2316 Lakeshore.

1957 Sanborn excerpt1960 Sanborn excerpt