Claremont Pines was formally the P.E. Bowels estate “The Pines.”  It is bounded by Broadway Terrace, Country Club Drive, Acacia Drive, and Romany Road.

Palatial Home to be Built

In July 1928, a palatial residence, the Tribune-Schlesinger Home, was to be built in the new subdivision Claremont Pines developed by York Company Inc.

The Spanish-Mediterranean-style home was sponsored by the Oakland Tribune and was furnished by B.F. Schlesinger and Sons.  

The house was designed by Frederick H. Reimers, an Oakland architect, and was constructed by C. Dudley de Velbiss, a well-known builder.

Drive Out Today

The Oakland Tribune columns fully describe each phase of the construction. The site was open to the public during construction.

Great care was taken in selecting the residence, which occupies a prominent corner overlooking the Claremont golf course and facing the Golden Gate.

“The Mediterranean type of architecture was selected to conform to the contour of the site and to the general rolling nature of the terrain.”

Frederick Reimers July 29, 1928

The house has sixteen rooms, each with an individual style. It also has a ballroom, library, and smoking room.  

The halls and library have floors of colored, hand-made tile and arched doorways.  

It is further enhanced by a series of walled-in courts and terraces. 

The landscaping was done under the supervision of Johannes Reimers, a local landscaper and artist who was also Frederick’s father.

Tribune-Schlesinger Home Breaks Ground

On August 09, 1928, the official groundbreaking was held in the presence of a large group of Eastbay notables.

Home Nearing Completion

“Plastering is now ready to start.”

$55,000 was invested in the project, exclusive of the furniture and furnishings.

Unique Feature of Home

“a haven of rest and peace from the busy world.”

Frederick H. Reimers Architect

The exterior brick fireplace and terrace brick walls leading to the entrance are the same color as the stucco.

A Firm Foundation

Another feature was the concrete foundation installed by J.H. Fitzmaurice, Inc., a local concrete contractor. The foundation’s material was of the very best quality at the time. 

All bearing walls are twelve inches in thickness.

Shows Rapid Progress

Significant progress was reported on November 04, 1928. It was expected to open on December 02, 1928.

Under the guidance of A.L. Abrott of B.F. Schlesinger & Sons, a rare harmony of late Renaissance furnishings, promised to make the home of exceptional interest.

The upper floors followed the lighter moods of the seventeenth century when Venice was still at the height of her glory.

The ballroom or social hall on the ground floor was decorated in the spirit of modern jazz and twentieth-century amusement.

Magnificent Vestibule

Upon entering the vestibule, one is impressed by the tremendous Castillian effect of the entrance and the monumental stairway—the curving staircase with artistic hand-wrought iron railing.

The main stairway leads to a secondary vestibule, giving access to four bedrooms.

New Type of Telephones

Convenience was the new type of telephone installation by Pacific Bell. Each telephone is placed to obtain the highest possible comfort and privacy for the users and blend in with the decor.

Two main lines were installed: one for the family’s use and the second primarily for the servants’ use.

A hand telephone with a key box was installed in the master bedroom. The keys could cut off the servant’s phone for privacy.

A wall telephone connected to the servants’ line was placed in the garage.

Formally Opened

The formal opening was held on Sunday, December 30, 1928.  Lucile Webster Gleason of the Dufwin Theater, star in “The Shannons of Broadway,” formally opened the doors.

Large Crowds

Ten thousand visitors viewed the home in its first opening week, and seven thousand attended the opening day.

Tribune-Schlesinger Home Claremont Pines

Claremont Pines Homes

More Info:

Claremont Pines – Oakland Local Wiki

• Splendid Home To Be Eastbay Masterpiece – Oakland Tribune July 29, 1928
• Breaks Ground – Oakland Tribune August 12, 1928
• Near Completion – Oakland Tribune October 21, 1928
• A Vision Almost Realized – Oakland Tribune October 21, 1928
• Unique Feature of Home – Oakland Tribune October 28, 1928
• Environment – Oakland Tribune October 28, 1928
• Will be Triumph of Interior Decorator’s Art – Oakland Tribune November 04, 1928
• Valuable Ideas – Oakland Tribune November 11, 1928
• Progress Made on Display Home is Reported – Oakland Tribune November 11, 1928
• Hospitality and Comfort – Oakland Tribune November 18, 1928
• Display Home Entrance – Oakland Tribune November 18, 1928
• New Type Telephones In Home – Oakland Tribune November 25, 1928
• A Foregone Conclusion – Oakland Tribune November 25, 1928
• Convenient Arrangement – Oakland Tribune December 02, 1928
• Good Progress Reported On Display Home – Oakland Tribune December 02, 1928
• Formal Announcement of the Opening – Oakland Tribune December 08, 1928
• Magnificent Model Home Opens Sunday – Oakland Tribune December 09, 1928
• Formally Opened – Oakland Tribune December 30, 1928
• Model Home Opens – Oakland Tribune December 30, 1928
• Large Crowds At Claremont Pines Home – Oakland Tribune January 06, 1929
• 10,000 See Claremont Pines Home – Oakland Tribune January 06, 1929
• “Fait Accompli” – Oakland Tribune January 06, 1929
• Refrigerator in Model Home – Oakland Tribune January 13, 1929

Today

•  2 Westminster Drive
• Frederick H. Reimers, architect
• C. Dudley de Velbiss – builder
• York Company Inc. – Developers
• Built-in 1928
• Sold for $2,3 million in 2008

The End