The Julia Morgan-designed YWCA Building at 1515 Webster Street in Downtown Oakland recently changed ownership for $22.5 million. The 109-year-old Renaissance revival building is now owned by a current tenant and public charter school, with plans to bring teach housing to the top two floors. Oakland-based Highbridge Equity Partners had previously owned the property.
The sale occurred on August 9th and was first reported by Hannah Kanik for the San Francisco Business Times. Highbridge Equity Partners has sold the property for $22.5 million to Envision Academy of Arts & Technology, a public charter school. The school is expected to use the top two floors, formerly leased by a now-bankrupt co-living company, as teacher housing.
Highbridge is a private equity firm founded in 2016 and led by Douglas Abrams. The firm owns several buildings across Oakland and is best known for purchasing the 22-story Tribune Tower in 2019.
Tribune Tower, image by Andrew Campbell Nelson
The property became an Oakland Landmark in 1977 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 based on its significance in architecture and social history. The 1515 Webster facade is wrapped with a mix of brick and terra cotta trim, including polychromed elements around the middle and attic windows.
The Young Women’s Christian Association building was built in 1914, according to the National Register of Historic Places. The 1984 designation form describes the building’s significance as “its historic associations with the development of social services at the community level as wellas initiating an international Christian women’s movement.” YWCA is an international non-profit founded in London in the mid-19th century.
1510 Webster Street pedestrian view from Webster and 15th Street, image by Andrew Campbell Nelson
The Oakland branch’s building was the first of 17 YWCA buildings designed by Julia Morgan. Her involvement with the organization, connected with her association with Pheobe Hearst, was considered especially meaningful given that Morgan, according to the NRHP, was “the only contemporary female architect of exceptional talent and growing prestige…”
1515 Webster Street is located along Webster Street between 15th and 17th Street and two blocks from Broadway. The landmarked building is across from 1510 Webster Street, a recently topped-out residential tower developed by oWow with 19 floors and 236 apartments.
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Good news! Maybe now that they own the building they’ll do something about all the graffiti that’s covering the building.
I think they meant “teacher” housing, not “teach” housing.
Interesting…this entire building sold for $22mil…the price of one mansion in Pacific Heights.
To the sfyimby.com administrator, Good work!