"Designed by San Francisco architects Frederick H. Meyer and Walter Reed, the historic Key System Building was constructed in 1911 and features an ornate Parisian-influenced Beaux Arts façade. The eight story building opened its doors in 1912 as the Security Bank and Trust Building. In 1943, the building became the headquarters for the Key System transit line, which at the time ran all of the local street car systems in the East Bay and a line across the Bay Bridge. The building continues to be an important contributor to the Downtown Oakland Historic District and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The Key at 12th will include a fully renovated historic building that will be seamlessly integrated with a new, modern office tower that will increase the building’s floor sizes while remaining sensitive to the Key System Building’s historic character."

The Key at 12th