A primary entrance to the Alameda County Courthouse, a Public Works Administration Moderne style building erected in 1936, was altered to provide access to the physically disabled.

The interior vestibule and storefront entrance were raised and the floor level extended to the exterior avoiding the need for a wheelchair lift and allowing a ramp with a gentle 1:19 slope to accomplish the change in level from the high point of the public sidewalk to the main inteiror floor level. This is a model project illustrating how universal design can be accomplished while respecting the historic character of a significant building.

Mr. Lerner (through Lerner & Nathan, Mr. Lerner’s predecessor firm) was involved in the design and planning of the accessible and historic design of the project. The project won a 1994 California Preservation Foundation design award.