16th Street Train Station

This is a group for photos of the historic 16th Street Train Station in Oakland Ca. The station, designed by architect Jarvis Hunt, was completed in 1912. In 1971 Southern Pacific leased the station to Amtrak, which continued passenger business until the Loma Preita earthquake in Oct. 1989 damaged the building, causing it to be 'red tagged' as unsafe for occupation.

In 1984 the Oakland City Council had declared the station an official landmark. The station's connection to the Pullman system, and its function as one of the main terminals of the transcontinental railroad, meant that the 16th Street Station was instrumental in bringing African Americans to Oakland, many of whom settled in West Oakland to be close to where they worked.

Even prior to the earthquake, the station's future was uncertain, as local developers had purchased the property with plans to develop housing on the site. Concern began to grow as the plans appeared to call for the razing of at least part of the Train Station structure. There was intense opposition to the proposal, and a local group calling itself "the 16th & Wood Train Station Coalition" formed to fight the proposed development plans. In 2005 a compromise was reached that included renovation of the station structure as part of a larger urban development surrounding it.