16th St Station, located off Wood Street in West Oakland, sits empty.  Damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and long vacant, this important and iconic building is threatened with neglect. As a former Southern Pacific Rail station it served as the western headquarters for the International Brotherhood of sleeping car porters and maids, the first black union in the US.

New development plans are sidelining the structure while applications for historical landmark status are pending.  From September- December 2024, Students at the Academy of Art School of Architecture partnered with the Oakland Heritage Alliance to envision futures for the 16th Street Train Station in West Oakland.  Through a community workshop and research, students created 5 proposals to revitalize the station  in the hopes that it will help folks visualize future possibilites and advocate for the station.

See student work at this website

More info:
Oaklandside
Oakland Heritage
Dorothy Lazard lecture
Site Analysis Diagrams