MUTUAL CREAMERY LOFTS
425 East 11th Street
Oakland, California
UDP’s principals first worked together renovating the Mutual Creamery Lofts, an adaptive re-use development in an urban environment.
The historic Mutual Creamery building in Oakland, California was originally built for industrial purposes in 1918. Architect Alfred William Smith (1864-1933) created the Mutual Creamery landmark in 1923 during the postwar building boom of the 1920s.
By redeveloping the existing buildings, a valuable and beautiful component of Oakland's urban landscape was kept intact. Importantly, the original brick exterior—made from Point Richmond red clay by the Richmond Pressed Brick Company—was preserved. Construction waste was reduced by reusing wood and concrete that would have otherwise ended up in landfills. The building was converted into 26 live/work lofts—with new industrial windows and state-of-the-art interiors—creating a beautiful contrast between the historical features of the building and the modern components that were installed.
