Nonprofit buys “jewel box” Scottish Rite Center in downtown Oakland

OAKLAND The Scottish Rite Center near Lake Merritt in Oakland has been bought by a wellness- and meditation-oriented nonprofit in a deal that is poised to keep the historic site as an active building rather than an empty structure. Art of Living Foundation, through an affiliate, has paid $9.3 million for the Scottish Rite Center building at 1547 Lakeside Dr. in downtown Oakland, documents filed on Oct. 23 with the Alameda County Recorder s Office show. This building is really a jewel box, said Sid Ewing, a senior vice president with Colliers, a commercial real estate firm. The new owner is an educational and humanitarian nonprofit that offers breathing techniques and mediation courses as paths to wellness. Scottish Rite Temple Association was the seller in the transaction, which was arranged by Colliers commercial real estate executives Ewing and Paul O’Drobinak. Related Articles Vallarta Supermarkets to open new store this year in San Jose