Rainbow Spearheads Downtown Oakland’s Building Restoration and Community Revitalization​

A major revitalization is happening in the Bay Area, a place where history meets innovation. And Rainbow Waterproofing & Restoration is at the core of it with a new historic building restoration in Oakland, CA: The Key at 12th, located at 1100 Broadway.

Built in 1911, the Key System Building is a historic gem that sat vacant for decades after sustaining significant structural damage from the Lomo Prieta earthquake in 1989. Since then, the eight-story Beaux-Arts building passed through the hands of several owners, who made various failed attempts at redevelopment. But that changed in 2018, when construction began on The Key at 12th.

Under the ownership of Ellis Partners and with the help of Rainbow, The Key at 12th project integrated the restored Key System Building with a new high-rise to create an inspiring environment for modern business. This was no small task; the Key System building needed repair and replacement of the terracotta units, masonry, wood window restoration, and repair of the granite base. For Rainbow, that meant matching materials and aesthetics to maintain the historic integrity of the building while ensuring it meets today’s needs. 

Downtown Oakland Revitalization: From History to Innovation

Downtown Oakland’s revitalization has brought some of the most cutting-edge tech companies, financial services firms, and other thriving businesses to the area. Today, there’s a growing demand for forward-thinking architecture to house these businesses. The Key at 12th is one of the most exciting examples of this architectural innovation, connecting the historic Key System Building with a striking new 18-story tower. 

Designed by San Francisco Bay architects Frederick H. Meyer and Walter Reed, the Key System Building was originally known as the Security Bank and Trust Building. In 1943, it became the headquarters of the Key System transit line, which ran streetcars in the East Bay and across the Bay Bridge. As an important contributor to the Downtown Oakland Historic District, the Parisian-inspired building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. 

The new tower, on the other hand, is distinctly contemporary; the 350,000 square foot high-rise is adorned with glass fins on the outer envelope and embedded with metallic fabric. The union of the two buildings creates a beautiful and functional space for business that showcases a remarkable mix of old and new. 

Historic Building Restoration in Oakland, CA

The Key at 12th offers the most modern of features, such as abundant natural light, roof decks, 100% renewable electricity sourcing, and a design that meets LEED Gold green building standards. But it also offers something else: the preservation of history.

While the Key System Building was once falling apart, it is now in the center of downtown Oakland’s revitalization. Integrating the historic beauty of this renowned building with a modern tower called for fresh thinking and significant expertise. Breathing new life into the structure meant restoring a wide variety of materials—terra cotta, brick, wood, granite, sheet metal, and limestone—while matching them with precision and integrity. That’s where Rainbow came in.

Rainbow, a leader in historic restoration, was committed to maintaining the integrity of the building and its materials. At the same time, the project had to be cost-effective. This required Rainbow to find creative methods or alternative materials to achieve the desired aesthetic. 

To ensure that Rainbow’s plans matched the Ellis Partners’ vision, ongoing communication and collaboration were critical. Mock-ups of the various restoration components were submitted for review before proceeding with the work, allowing stakeholders to share ideas and explore new possibilities. Input from all parties helped facilitate the decision-making process to create an extraordinary final product.

The Transformation of the Key System Building

The restoration of the Key System Building was extensive and included redesigning and repairing original features. But from the sheet metal cornice and masonry restoration to the wood windows and limestone pilasters, some areas had significant damage. This required materials to be replaced entirely while matching the existing product as closely as possible. 

The full scope of work included:

Restoration Components

• Sixth-floor balconies
• New limestone pieces
• New precast piece
• Granite repair
• Top of cornice and backside of the parapet
• Rebuilding brick columns

Color and Texture Matching

• Pointing mortar
• New precast pieces to match original terra cotta
• Glaze coating on existing terra cotta
• New brick to match original variety and color
• New limestone and granite to matching original pieces left in place

By drawing on years of experience, the Rainbow team was able to successfully transform the Key System Building and ensure it acts as a defining component of The Key at 12th. 

Shaping Oakland’s Future

Realizing the vision for The Key at 12th was a truly collaborative effort between Rainbow, the general contractor, Hathaway Dinwiddie, the consultant, WJE, and the owner, Ellis Partners. We are proud that our partnerships have allowed us to be a part of an exceptional restoration project that is helping to shape downtown Oakland’s revitalization.

“The Key at 12th bridges the rich history of our city with our bright and energetic future.” – Libby Schaaf, Mayor of Oakland

Innovative architecture will continue to redefine Oakland and help businesses and residents thrive. But there is also a rich history to be preserved as we move into the future. 

Rainbow has the experience and expertise needed to make your Bay Area building commercial or historic restoration projects a success. Reach out to the Rainbow team today.

The Rainbow Team

The Rainbow Team is Northern California’s most trusted waterproofing and restoration company. We have the craftsmanship and expertise to handle any commercial or historic building envelope, masonry, or waterproofing project in the San Francisco Bay Area.