Altenheim, Oakland, California
historic place
Altenheim, meaning 'Elder's Home' in German, is a historic place located at 1720 MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland, California. It was established in the 1890s by German-speaking immigrants, forming the Altenheim Society. The original building, designed by Charles Mau, was constructed in 1893 to serve as an upscale retirement home for aging German Americans. It was the only elderly care institution in Oakland specifically for this community. In 1908, the original Altenheim building was destroyed by fire. The current complex, designed in the Colonial Revival and Classical Revival styles by architects Oscar Haupt and Robert Frost, was rebuilt on the same site between 1908 and 1909. The Altenheim was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 2007, and designated an Oakland Landmark on January 6, 2009. After operating for many decades, the facility closed in 2002. It reopened in 2010, providing affordable housing for low-income seniors of all nationalities. The Altenheim is historically significant for its century-long role in providing social services to the elderly in Oakland.