Oakland Councilmember Nancy Nadel will read a proclamation at Tuesday's City Council meeting marking the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate and promote the city's historic legacy.

Two 19th century-era structures in Nadel's District Three are up for landmark status approval at Tuesday's council meeting; the Cooper House and Corner Store on 8th Street, and the Victorian Legal Center on 11th Street, across from historic Lafayette Park.

Tuesday also marks the 152nd anniversary of Oakland's founding. A display in the Dalziel Building, next to City Hall (250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza), assembled by volunteers from the Heritage Alliance, will be on view starting Monday, says board member and organizer Cynthia Shartzer. "We hope people will stop by if they are coming to City Hall or the plaza this coming week."

Berkeley Architectural Heritage is sponsoring a house tour and lecture this week, as part of its ongoing efforts to celebrate Berkeley's unique history and buildings.

"On May 9, we will be hosting 'Berkeley 1890 -- At Home,' featuring 12 Victorian-era houses built between 1889 and 1900, all on Fulton Street and adjoining side streets," says Wendy Markel, a BAHA board member.

A lecture Wednesday will preview Sunday's tour. "Paul Roberts will be talking about A.W. Pattiani, a designer-builder of the period, who produced a number of these wonderful houses," says Markel.

The lecture will be at the Church by the Side of the Road, 2108 Russell St., Berkeley, starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door. Tickets for the Sunday house tour also may be purchased at Wednesday's lecture.

According to Oakland's Cultural Heritage Survey, Oakland holds title to an impressive number of historic landmarks. The survey project (in the city's Planning Department) maintains an extensive historic resources data base, developed during the past two decades with grant funding provided in part by the state Office of Historic Preservation. The survey research and field notes on more than 60,000 structures throughout Oakland have been made available on the city's in-house computer network and permit tracking system, enabling staffers to access potential historical information when inquiries come in from interested callers.

When the City Council gave its approval to a Historic Preservation Element for the General Plan in the mid-1990s, which outlined policies and goals for older properties, it became necessary to step up efforts to collect as much data as possible.

According to the files, there are some 160 historic structures representing approximately 23 percent of the city-owned building inventory. Thirty-three are already landmarks.

Several historic properties came into city ownership after serving previously for other uses. These include the pioneer DeFremery, Mosswood, Camron-Stanford and Dunsmuir houses, acquired for park and museum use, and later the Ladies Relief Society Children's Home (Studio One Arts Center). The Talbot-Durant estates (now the Knowland Zoo) also became city property.

Oakland's earliest and most prominent civic buildings are considered to be among the most significant and distinctive in California. They house public activities and represent Oakland to residents in and outside the city, including City Hall (1914), the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium (1915) and the former Greene Library (now the African American Museum and Library, 1903).

Recently, City Administrator Deborah Edgerly named Brooke Levin as new interim assistant director to the Public Works Agency, charged with overseeing the care and maintenance of city-owned properties. Levin, who served previously in the agency as manager of the Environmental Services Division and as a policy analyst to former Mayor Elihu Harris during his first term, will now be looking out for city-owned landmarks.

"I am looking forward to facing the challenge of assuming the stewardship of these important examples of our heritage," says Levin. "When I first moved here, one of the things that drew me to Oakland was the incredible buildings and parks throughout the city. This is truly a special place and I am proud to have the opportunity to help take care of it."

To learn more about city-owned landmarks, contact Cultural Heritage Survey coordinator Betty Marvin at 238-6879. Information is available about the upcoming BAHA lecture and house tour, at 841-2242, or by visiting www.berkeleyheritage.com on the Web. The Oakland Heritage Alliance can be reached at 763-9218. OHA Summer Walks will be starting in July (the web site is www.oaklandheritage.org).

The city-sponsored Oakland Tours of downtown get under way this month, continuing every Wednesday and Saturday, through October. The free 90-minute tours scheduled for this week are Chinatown on Wednesday and Jack London Waterfront on Saturday. All tours start at 10 a.m. Reservations are recommended but not required. Call the tours 24-hour hot line at 238-3234, or go online to www.oaklandnet.com.

To learn about ongoing preservation efforts throughout the United States, visit www.nationaltrust.org.

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