Save the Cohen Bray house, support the Victorian Preservation Center of Oakland

Supporting the Cohen Bray House matters.

We had a successful year in 2024, due to a very large bequeathment, donations and your membership dues. We have been able to accomplish our fundraising goals to repair the failing parts of the original brick foundation. We hope to complete this crucial project in 2025. We are so relieved to have funding for this major problem.

Unfortunately, time and decay have a head start and we are encountering its effects every day. See the sixteen photos at the bottom that show you first-hand what the problems are. Unlike the other historic landmarks that are owned by public agencies or come with a large trust fund, we are supported by our membership and gifts from thoughtful people like you! We are eligible for grants and have received grants in the past.
We need talented people to help. We are looking for grant writers, craftsman and project managers to join our board or just offer to help in the process. All contributions/donations help. Together we can maintain this house for the future. We have no paid staff. Your donation goes directly into maintaining the house gardens and workshop in the back.

Here is a list of small projects/repairs that you can help with. Below this, we list the large projects; we hope you can help us by adopting a project with a donation of any amount.

Wish list- small items that will make a difference

Repairing the grandfather clock in the front hall.
Repair the clock on the mantle in the library.
The reupholstering of (a) chairs in the Craftsman room, this will allow us to hold more events in that room.
Hold a private dinner party or tea party for your friends in the house.
Assist with the cost of the June 2025 “Celebrate Preservation & Restoration” event in the back yarrd.
Restoration professionals - Artistic License Guild and historic trades people will provide lectures, workshops, and demonstrations. We will teach community members interested in learning historic restoration skills to care for their old homes properly. This helps our long-term goal of creating an apprenticeship program and pairing interested people with retired craftspeople and use our facilities to continue restoration and preservation education.

Funding needed for the two large projects below -( currently waiting for the quotes from the contractors to update these numbers)

Sunroom Porch: Important as it is the area used for our store and has the only bathroom other than the caretakers bath. Luckily, The foundation of this room will be replaced in 2025!
We need funding to replace some wood and windows damaged by water to secure them for the future:

Repair and replace the South wall and windows - adding window sills so this doesn't occur again.
Repair parts of the sunroom porch floor so we can add the new wheelchair lift.
Make the restroom ADA compliant.
Rebuild the sliding barn door-windows and supports
Rebuilding the west wall so we can install the already rebuilt sunroom windows.

Painting main house:

The house has not been painted for over 50 years. The deterioration of the unprotected wood is everywhere.

Repair exterior woodwork and trim, in preparation for painting: $5,000-15,000.
Paint the outside of the house to protect the exterior from the weather: $25,000-$60,000

The house has survived major earthquakes since its construction, but time and a wet forecast are not on our side.
These additional jobs need to be done.