The Oakland

The Oakland. . , The Oakland was constructed in 1889, and is the first Minneapolis apartment building designed by master architect Harry Wild Jones (1859-1935). It is recognized to be among the earliest multi-unit residences in Minneapolis with entrance doors situated along central interior corridors, and is one of the few remaining first generation apartments distinct for construction of brick and stone., The Oakland's Richardsonian Romanesque design elements are evident in the chiseled blocks and rounded arches evoking a castle feeling with a drawbridge entrance, flanked by towers and topped with medieval inspired stonework. When it was built, the Oakland housed six luxury apartments in an upscale, residential area. An 1889 Minneapolis newspaper reported, "its neatness, elegance, and convenience has not an equal in the city." By 1929, the Oakland had become 24 units and in subsequent decades the complex was labeled a hotel and rooming house, surrounded by commercial structures and large hotels. Since the 1990s, skyscrapers and parking lots have encompassed the Oakland., In 2008, the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota declared the Oakland one of the most endangered buildings in Minnesota. After surviving multiple fires and a demolition permit, the building was renovated by a public/private partnership in 2019, and designated a Historic Landmark by the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission. In 2022, this marker was produced with funds provided by the people of Minnesota through a grant appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and with support from the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association.