U.S. Post Office
Why it's listed
Berkeley's main post office, at 2000 Milvia Street, is a two-story reinforced concrete building with a hipped red tile roof and an eleven-arch arcade along Allston Way. Authorized by Congress in 1910 and opened in 1915, it was produced by the Treasury Department's Supervising Architect's Office, and the individual architect is unknown. Limestone, granite, terra cotta and stucco clad the exterior, and a one-story rear section was added in 1931-32. Inside, the lobby keeps its marble wainscot, carved wood, brass-fitted service windows and glassed vestibules, details that followed standard post office practice. In 1936-37 the Treasury Relief Art Project added a fresco by Suzanne Scheuer showing Berkeley's early history and a relief sculpture by David Slivka honoring postal workers. The building is valued as a well-kept example of federal design of its era, as a symbol of Berkeley's growth in the 1910s, and as a public space still used by residents.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the building as a well-preserved example of early twentieth-century Treasury Department public architecture, with a lobby that retains its marble, metal and woodwork. It also marks Berkeley's growth and civic maturity in the 1910s. The lobby holds a 1936-37 mural by Suzanne Scheuer and a 1937 relief sculpture by David Slivka, both from New Deal art programs.
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 81000144, listed January 29, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2000 Milvia St., Berkeley |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | January 29, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000144 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Oscar Wenderoth, Supervising Architect; general contractor Van Sant-Houghton Co. |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as the Berkeley main post office; condition listed as excellent, with some alterations. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 37.86868, -122.27015 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 81000144.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902347
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.