Lockwood Gardens

The name Lockwood has been a part of Oakland for a long time. I am still looking into where the name came from. Lockwood was (is) considered a part of the Elmhurst District.

In 1875 the Lockwood School District reported the following:

Oakland Evening Tribune 1875

The Site

The site of Lockwood Gardens was once the extensive estate of William Cluff Jr., a wholesale grocer of some prominence in the early days.

Lockwood Gardens is located between 64th and 66th Avenues on the south side of East 14th Street on 2 1/2 acres of land that was occupied by a golf practice range and one house.

project plans by Carl Warnecke, OHR 

Planning Stages

The proposed housing development that would become Lockwood Gardens was met with protest. The major complaints were as follows.

Oakland Tribune April 10, 1941

One of the provisions in the funding of government housing for the city was to carry out an “equilievant demolition” program. Under the provision for every new housing unit built, a substandard dwelling not within the project area must be demolished. The city had not met the requirements of the projects built in West Oakland. Lockwood was 372 housing units. Over 500 hundred homes would have to be demolished.

Oakland Tribune Mar 6, 1941
Newly constructed Lockwood Gardens public housing development in the Havenscourt district of Oakland,

The cost of building the projects was about $1,175,525. Lockwood was ready for occupancy in 1942.

The Early Years

Lockwood opened in August of 1942. Originally designed for low-income families regardless of employment, they were converted for the use of families in the defense industry only.

“this metropolitan area’s answer to Govenment housing officials prayers”

Oakland Tribune 1944

In 1944 Lockwood had a population of 1600, which included 372 family units and a total of 800 children. An all-volunteer Community Council. A very active Improvement Club to promote unity among the residents and expand social and sports programs for adults and children.

Oakland Tribune Feb 03, 1944

There were two newspapers and two orchestras that provided music for the semi-monthly adult dances and the weekly teen dances. There was a community victory garden.

Oakland Tribune Feb 3, 1944

Organized girls’ and boys’ clubs and carried out a full program of social and sports activities under the direction of volunteers.

There was an auxiliary police force of 40 members who provided their own uniforms and served under Chief of Police James Rouse.

Oakland Tribune Feb 03, 1944

Race and Housing

In a letter to the editor of the Oakland Tribune, Mrs. Mollie Thorner wrote the following:

Editor: Only recently has our whole neighborhood become fully aware of the shocking policies at Lockwood Gardens Federal Housing Projects. (65th Avenue). The neighborhood surrounding Lockwood Gardens is a fine democratic community where all peoples, regardless of race, creed, or color, live side by side to enrich all. The policy of Lockwood Gardens, however, is No admittance to any minority groups. Please note that this is a Federal Housing Project for GI families of low income. All Americans are asked to fight on the battlefield, regardless of race, creed, or color. What do the good people of Oakland think of a policy where, if the GI lives to come home, he finds a Federal Project closed to him because of the color of his skin? These projects are partly paid for by the Federal. Government, but the policy is left in the hands of each city. And since one poison always breeds another, it has now been learned that hundreds of families live in Lockwood Gardens whose income is way above the maximum ser for Federal Housing tenants. We believe that the housing authorities shut their eyes to this to keep up the discrimination policy.
We say with great pride that now that our community did at last found all these things out it will leave no stone unturned to have these policies changed. The citizens of all of Oakland have a duty in this.

Neighborhood Tenants Committees
Mrs. Mollie Thorner, Secretary

The Later Years

Oakland Tribune Jul 16, 1968
Oakland Tribune Jul 16, 1968
Oakland Tribune Dec 25, 1970

Even Later

Lockwood is also known as the “6-5 Vill” (Village) and is one-half of the “Vill.” The other half of the “Vill” is the recently torn down 69th San Antonio Villas housing project, where infamous drug kingpin Felix Mitchell is from. The 69th San Antonio Villas has since been remodeled into condominiums. Once an extremely unattractive housing project, the Oakland housing authority also remodeled Lockwood Gardens. However, unlike the 69th Vill, whose crime rate dropped after remodeling, these efforts have done little to thwart the crime that still plagues the 65th Vill.

Rappers such as G-Stack, Tuffy, Yukmouth, and the late Rap-A-Lot Records artist Seagram Miller all claim The Vill home. World Heritage Encyclopedia

Demolish or Rehabilitation

The Oakland Housing Authority received five federal HOPE VI grants totaling $83 million, enabling it to revitalize four large public housing sites and four small scattered sites. OHA’s first HOPE grant was used to renovate one of OHA’s original “war housing” developments, the 372-unit Lockwood Gardens, constructed in 1943. This was in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2000

Lockwood Gardens was rehabilitated in the early 2000s.

Lockwood Gardens Today
Lockwood Gardens – Google Maps

More Info:


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The End

Montclair Realty – Pioneers of the Hills

In 1924 brothers Paul and Herman Pause formed Montclair Realty Co. Before that, Paul worked for the Realty Syndicate.

Oakland Tribune Apr 01, 1928

The business district of Montclair looked like this when Montclair Realty was formed.

Graded and staked lots in the undeveloped Montclair district’s downtown in Oakland, California Eston Cheney, photographer. from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room. Circa 1925

Cos. Williams, a builder, was the only other business then.

Sales offices of real estate broker and home builder Cos Williams in the undeveloped Montclair district’s downtown in Oakland, California. Graded and staked lots are visible in the foreground. DATE: [circa 1925] from the Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.

In 1932 they moved into their new offices at 6466 Moraga Avenue. The building was occupied by George B. Brooks, another real estate agent. The building is still there.

Oakland Tribune Sept 18, 1932
6466 Moraga Avenue – 2019

Montclair Highlands

“In All the World No View Like his”

Oakland Tribune 1928
Oakland Tribune Mar 4, 1928

In 1928 Montclair Realty was the developer and selling agent for a new tract behind the business district. One of the first homes was the “Model View Home,” built-in 1928.

Oakland Tribune May 6, 1928

10th Anniversary

In 1934 Montclair Realty celebrated its 10th Anniversary. During this time, they specialized in developing the rapidly growing hill area. Some tracts they worked on were Montclair Highlands, Montclair Acres, Montclair Estates, and Fernwood.

That year they opened Piedmont Uplands, a new tract along Moraga Avenue at Maxwelton Road. The Henry Maxwell family owned the land and ran a Maxwelton Farm dairy. Before that, it was the picnic grounds of Blair Park.

13th Anniversary

Oakland Tribune 1937

Montclair Realty celebrated its thirteenth Anniversary by moving into spacious new offices in Montclair Realty Building on Moraga Avenue. Harvey Slocombe designed the new two-story building in an authentic Spanish style, complete with a patio and tile roof. Howard Gilkey developed the garden.

New Montclair Realty Office – Oakland Tribune 1937

The unusual feature of the new building was the penthouse display home on the second floor. The living room – reception room had a Homebuilder’s Library, where prospective home builders can look through all the latest books and magazines on home building.

Dramatically different the Pent House Model home brings to you “Ideas of 1938” in colorful interior finishes and modern furnishings.

Oakland Tribune 1937

Silver Anniversary – 1949

Paul Pause was a founding member of the Montclair Improvement Club. He was a member of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce residential committee and its highway and transportation committee. He was also a member of the Commonwealth Club.

Death and New Owners

Paul Pause died in 1950. He was an important figure in the development of Montclair since the beginning.

Oakland Tribune 1950

Lucille Chasnoff purchased the company after Pause died in 1950. and John Mallett purchased the company from her in 1962.

Oakland Tribune Sept 1962

New Office in 1954-56

Oakland Tribune Jun 29, 1956

In 1954 they moved into the newly built Montclair Professional Building at 2084 Mountain Blvd. The Montclair Realty offices were on the ground floor; they owned the building.

The Montclarion 1956

It was the only office building that had off-street parking. The offices featured gold walls with charcoal woodwork with built-in desks and partitions.

The Montclarion 1956

Out with the Old

The old Montclair Realty building was demolished in 1961 to make room for expanding the Standard Station next door.

The Montclarion

In 2019 a new building replaced the old and outdated Montclair Realty Office Building.

2084 Mountain Blvd in 2019
The Back of 2084 Moutain in 2019

The new building.

From Forgotten Montclair Facebook Group 2022

Different Logos –

Free Map

Montclair Realty Map

More Info:

The End

Melrose Highlands- Part 2

Oakland Tribune

In 1935 Phil Heraty, a local real estate agent and developer, took over the sales of Melrose Highlands.

Colonial Village – 1935

A type of English brick was used on the exterior of a few houses that were built in 1935.

Oakland Tribune June 19357773 Greenly Drive

Oakland Tribune July 1935

Oakland Tribune July 19357765 Greenly Drive

Oakland Tribune July 7, 1935

Both the houses are on Greenly Drive, they are side by side at 7765 and 7775.

Google Maps – 7775 Greenly Drive

Heraty to Build 100 Homes – Jan 1940

Oakland Tribune Jan 14, 1940
Oakland Tribune 1940

Cape Cod Colonial – 7776 Sterling Drive

Six generous sized rooms with light-filled upstairs bedrooms. Downstairs has the living room, dinette, and kitchen. Detached Garage. Price $4150.00.

Oakland Tribune 1940

The present-day photo below. I see they made a room out of the garage.

7776 Sterling Drive – Google Maps

Oakland Tribune 1940

7225 Sterling Drive – 1940

Oakland Tribune Mar 1940

Oakland Tribune Mar 1940
7725 Sterling – Google MAPS

Heraty Homes – Greenly Drive

Forty new -home owners have moved into Melrose Highlands since his organization became the selling agents

said Heraty – Oakland Tribune Sept 08, 1940

said Heraty – Oakland Tribune Sept 08, 1940
Oakland Tribune Sept 08, 1940

New Economy Home at 8108 Greenly Drive – 1940

Oakland Tribune Aug 18, 1940

8108 Greenly Drive – REDFIN.Com

Building Progress in Melrose Highlands

Below is about 8032 Fontaine Street, which was lost due to the construction of the freeway.

Oakland Tribune Aug 1940

Oakland Tribune May 11, 1941

Beautiful Melrose Highlands – 1941

In May of 1941, a furnished “Model Home’ opened in Melrose Highlands at 8033 Fontaine Street.

8033 Fontaine Street – Google Maps

Oakland Tribune May 11, 1941

Built to Order in Melrose Highlands – 1941

A Garden Showplace on Greenly Drive

The home of R.E. Derby on 7757 Greenly Drive was featured in the garden section on the Oakland Tribune in July of 1939.

their principal concern was, what to do with the “mud hole” in the backyard.

R.E Derby – July 16, 1939

R.E Derby – July 16, 1939

Oakland Tribune July 16, 1939
Oakland Tribune July 16, 1939
Oakland Tribune July 16, 1939

The End