Description
This dramatic home in the heart of Berkeley’s Claremont district, on one of its most beautiful and coveted streets, was designed by John Hudson Thomas with input from the owner, H. L Dungan circa 1915. Set back from the street in a park-like setting, this serene and secluded property straddles Harwood Creek.; According to architect Thomas Gordon Smith, the building is one of the country’s first structures in which a major element is intentionally spanned over a creek.*
The opportunity to own this important example of Berkeley’s First Bay Tradition in architecture is an invitation to a lifestyle of calm among mature oaks and redwoods while living close to the much sought-after amenities of the Claremont community.;
This four-bedroom, three and one-half bath home features a spectacular two-story redwood-paneled living room with a towering cathedral-like ceiling, dramatic fireplace and picturesque views into the garden; French doors open to a porch overlooking the flowing creek.; A formal dining room with built-in cabinets provides the perfect environment for entertaining. The eat-in kitchen, adjacent to a laundry/utility room, offers an opportunity for creating a larger kitchen/great room extension or can be enjoyed in its current configuration.; The creek-side patio off the kitchen offers relaxed outdoor dining.; This primary level enjoys an additional room, which has served as a bedroom and office, and there is a half bath.;
The expansive staircase and broad landing are punctuated with large windows overlooking the creek and oaks.; The master suite is comprised of a sitting area and a remodeled bath. Two additional bedrooms and a second bath are all comfortably located on this level.;
Perhaps the real piece de resistance is the home’s upper level, an expansive third floor featuring a dramatic atelier; this exciting space with its soaring ceiling and glorious window is a light-filled enchantment with versatile potential.; An adjoining plus room has been used as a sleeping room** and there is a full bath adjacent.
41 Oakvale Avenue is perfectly located near shops and restaurants in Berkeley and Rockridge, the Claremont and Berkeley Tennis Clubs, and easy access to public transportation and SF commuting.
*Taken from Claremont Creekside Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association 1990 House Tour Booklet
** The upstairs room adjacent to the atelier has been used as a sleeping room and is staged as such. Neither Listing Agent nor seller have knowledge as to whether this room meets the specific building and fire codes for a legal bedroom.
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Neighborhood
The Claremont neighborhood straddles the Berkeley and Oakland borders and features lush landscaping, curving streets that hug the canyon hills, and open space. Homes on the leafy side streets provide old-fashioned Berkeley elegance, with turn-of-the-century brown shingles, revivals, prairie-, custom contemporary-, and Tudor-styled structures offering residents a place to call home within the landscaped confines. The landmark of this area is the majestic Claremont Hotel Club & Spa, a vast Victorian edifice perched on 22 acres in the hills. Three outdoor pools, 10 tennis courts, a full-service spa, a fitness club, and three onsite restaurants deliver stunning views, and the resort has become popular with generations of locals as a luxurious getaway. Elmwood's shopping district on College Avenue in Berkeley offers old-fashioned shops, access to the Rockridge Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), grocery stores, bookshops, and flower stands. Restaurants, a movies theater, and a bakery are all a short walk away. The Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve is 208 acres of open space managed by the East Bay Regional Park District and more than 200 acres outside of the canyon owned by the University of California, Berkeley. Garber Park, a 13-acre oak-and-bay-tree woodland south of Claremont Avenue, is owned by the city of Oakland. Trails reward ambitious hikers with panoramic views of San Francisco Bay.