The Oaklands on 9th
One lone building stands surrounded by the parking lots that take up the rest of the block bounded by 9th and 10th Streets South and 2nd and 3rd Avenues South. It is obviously an old building with an ornate architectural style, heavy sandstone walls, and vintage signage. But why not just knock it down and build new structures to fill up this valuable real estate? How has this building survived so long?
Harry Wild Jones
Harry Wild Jones
When he set up his architecture firm in the newly opened Lumber Exchange in 1885, Harry Wild Jones might have been inspired by his surroundings when he designed what would become the Oakland apartments. The thick Richardsonian Romanesque style was all the rage. His apartments, however, were going to bring something entirely new to Minneapolis architecture.
The Oakland apartment building isn’t just the oldest apartment building in Minneapolis still standing, but is the oldest apartment building in Minneapolis - full stop. Until 1886, multi-unit or multi-family dwellings were built with individual exterior entrances. Think brownstones, townhouses or tenement buildings. The Oakland was the first luxury apartment building that would have a single entrance with an interior hallway leading to the individual units. We take this kind of amenity for granted today, but imagine how appealing this new offering would be - especially considering Minnesota’s winters.
The next year, Jones proved that he wasn’t a one-trick pony by designing the Swinford Townhouses and Apartments but then moved on to a variety of residential, commercial, and municipal projects. Among his surviving projects are the bathroom building at Lake Harriet, the Washburn Water Tower, the Chapel at the Lakewood Cemetery, Butler Square, the Scottish Rite Temple, the park shelter at Beard’s Plaisance.
Many of his residential projects have been demolished, but the home at 2112 Kenwood Parkway has survived. His own home still stands at 5101 Nicollet Avenue and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Minneapolis Daily Oct. 13, 1889
Saving the Oakland
In 2016, a faulty outlet sparked a fire in the upper floors of the Oakland. No one was injured in the blaze, but the damage to the building was extensive. Stuck in insurance limbo, the fire damage was compounded by water damage and years of neglect. The building was condemned and the owner was seeking a demolition permit when the city stepped. Seeking to save the historical asset, they denied demolition and encouraged either a renovation or sale.
Thankfully, it was sold. The new owners, with a lot of community support, embarked on a renovation saga that they chronicled on Facebook. Historical finds, large and small, kept the project moving forward. In 2021, the “Oaklands on 9th” reopened as a small hotel, available for short or long-term stays.
Some Additional Surprises
Just like the surprises that the workers found as they stripped out the fire damage, I uncovered some surprises in the newspaper archives while I was doing my research. Some interesting lives and deaths occurred at the Oaklands.
