Client
City of Oakland

Scope
Accessibility and Restoration

Cost

Completed
2008

PROJECT DETAILS

This high-profile historic bandstand was built in 1923 designed by Walter Reed and William Corbett, Crowds of 5,000 would assemble here every week to watch the Oakland Band.

A previous accessibility retrofit employed a wheelchair lift, which stopped functioning when water leaked into the mechanism underground. This was a major issue for people renting the stage for weddings and other events.

We sought a permanent accessibility solution which would not detract from the bandstand's symmetry and overall aesthetic. Our design provides a new wheelchair ramp that leads around the back of the bandstand and up to the stage.

We also replaced the sections of limestone and metal railing that had been cut to accommodate the defunct lift, and also restored and protected the historic limestone, which had rust stains and spalling. A new, clear, anti-graffiti treatment will protect the new and historic surfaces from future damage.