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Building Notes

The Alameda County Court House was designed in what has been called the Public Works Administration (PWA formed 1933) / Works Progress Administration (WPA, formed 1935) Moderne Style. The style was a very sober, unornamented interpretation of the Art Deco often merged with streamlined styling of fenestration and corner members.

An advertisement in the Oakland Tribune in 11/1935 solicited construction bids from contractors: “Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County will receive bids for furnishing all labor, material transportation and services for the construction of additional granite at the base of the building and additional steel sash in the Court Rooms of the Alameda County Court House located at Fallon Street, Twelfth Street, Oak Street and Thirteenth Street, Oakland, California; each bid to be in accordance with plans and specifications now on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Fifth Street and Broadway, Oakland, California, and at the offices of the Architects, Will G. Corlett, Henry A. Minton, James W. Plachek, William E. Schirmer and Carl Warner, 910 Bank of American Building, Oakland, California. Notice is hereby given that all proceedings relating to the above project, including bidding award of contract, and all work to be done on the project, are subject to the Rules and Regulations and all conditions prescribed by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public works.” (See “Notice to Contractors,” Oakland Tribune, 11/07/1935, p. 19.)

Alteration

The California Preservation Foundation presented Arnold Lerner and Associates an award for its addition of an entry and ramp for disabled access to the Alameda County Courthouse in 1994.

PCAD id: 1026