The historic King Building, built in 1904, is located on the edge of Oakland’s Chinatown near the Downtown district. This renovation project retains the original character of the building, with little change to its distinctive facade, while providing accomodations for a combination of residential, retail and office uses. The restored storefronts provide entry into four ground floor retail spaces. The design includes the addition of a new elevator and stair lobby with marble wainscoting and intercom security entry system. To allow flexibility for the residents’ live/work lifestyles, both the commercial and residential portions of the building will be wired with state of the art Internet and network connections.

Seven residential loft apartments and a common light court occupy the fourth floor. Each unit accesses a rooftop penthouse via spiral staircase. The second and third floor office spaces feature large windows—up to 11 feet tall—providing great natural light and ventilation. In addition, these spaces face a two-story skylit court that serves as a common area. These and other amenities are designed to encourage interaction among the residents and workers, leading to a sense of community in this mixed-use building.