Chamber of Commerce Building
Also known as: Wells Fargo Building
.JPG){kind=link}
Why it's listed
At the corner of Shattuck Avenue and Center Street in downtown Berkeley, a 12-story office tower rises 149 feet above a 2-story wing. Finished in 1927 to designs by architect Walter H. Ratcliff Jr., it was Berkeley's first true skyscraper and remained the city's only one for more than four decades. Steel and concrete construction is faced in dark red-brown brick, with cream terra cotta at the top and granite-finish terra cotta at the base. Elaborate brick pilasters sweep upward, and a small terra cotta penthouse houses the elevator machinery. Soon after opening, the ground floors were remodeled with three monumental arches for a bank, which still occupies them. Inside, the lobby has marble walls and a gilt plaster ceiling, and the banking hall has marble columns and a coffered ceiling. The building was named for the local Chamber of Commerce, which planned to occupy the top floor. It is noted for its metropolitan scale, design quality and remarkable integrity.
Significance in brief: It was Berkeley's first true skyscraper and stayed the city's only one for over 40 years, marking the central 100% corner. It is an unusual and fine example of the early 20th century classically derived brick and terra cotta skyscraper, designed by a leading Berkeley architect of the 1920s. It also kept notable integrity and has been occupied by its original ground-floor bank tenant.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85001916, listed August 29, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2140--2144 Shattuck Ave. & 2071--2089 Center St., Berkeley |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | August 29, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001916 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-27 |
| Architect / builder | Walter H. Ratcliff Jr. |
| Architectural style | Early 20th century classically derived (Beaux-Arts-derived) brick and terra cotta skyscraper |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in excellent, largely unaltered condition; the original ground-floor bank tenant (American Trust/Wells Fargo) still occupies the ground floor, with mixed professional offices above. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.87048, -122.26854 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85001916.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q123253391
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.