Spend Your Days Working From Home in This Handsomely Renovated Oakland Loft for $1.2M
This recently listed loft in Oakland, California, is exceptionally well suited for working from home. Billed as a "loft duplex," the newly renovated property features a private, 900-square-foot studio on the lower level and a spacious, loft-style residence on the upper two floors. The condominium is also part of a larger artists’ complex commissioned by local resident and renowned abstract sculptor Bruce Beasley, whose work is featured in the permanent collections of museums worldwide.
Stairs lead up from the ground-floor entryway to the loft-style main residence. Bowstring trusses span the wood-clad cathedral ceiling, which features numerous skylights.
Another view of the living area, which occupies much of the home’s nearly 1,500-square-foot floor plan. A floating, fabricated steel staircase leads up to the single bedroom and bathroom.
In the late 1980s, Beasley tapped local architect Tom Dolan to design a total of 25 live/work rental units and four condominiums for a development known today as South Prescott Village. Dolan’s website describes the project as the "first live/work complex built from the ground up in the United States."
The one-bedroom loft currently up for sale was overhauled in 2015, and the owners spent close to $300K on details such as handcrafted light fixtures, a lavish master bathroom, and a top-of-the-line kitchen.
The dining area sits between the living area and kitchen. A custom light fixture from Berkeley Lighting Company hangs overhead.
Dolan, an advocate for urban infill construction practices, also worked with Beasley to write Oakland’s live/work building code in the mid-1990s, which regulates conversions of the city’s countless industrial warehouses into mixed-use residential and commercial properties.
"It’s a way to use these buildings in a way that incubates small businesses," said Dolan in a 2016 San Francisco Chronicle article. "It’s a great way to combine living and working in this expensive economy, and also not to have to commute and pollute."
A copper-colored matte finish granite slab drapes over a central island in the kitchen, contrasting with the surrounding white Caesarstone countertops.
With an asking price of $1,199,000, the updated loft spans a total of 2,411 square feet, including the street-level workspace. The work area offers a separate entrance, a full bath, and a kitchen area as well. Rounding out the offering are two deeded parking spaces and a sunny common courtyard garden. Keep scrolling to see more.
A look down from the loft. The bamboo and hardwood flooring was refinished during the 2015 renovation, at which point the living room fireplace and bookshelves were also added.
The lower-level workspace features a 27' x 24' main workspace, in addition to a full kitchen and bathroom.
Sliding doors can conceal the workspace kitchen as needed. A full bathroom is located in the back corner.
Outside, the courtyard provides direct access to both the workspace and residence along the left-hand side.
348 Lewis Street, Unit #4, in Oakland, CA, is currently listed for $1,199,000 by Andy Read and Ana O'Byrne of Caldecott Properties.
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