But this is Chico, too

The intersection of Vallombrosa and Mangove avenues is a gateway to Bidwell Park and downtown. It’s where vintage and suburban Chico meet. It doesn’t deserve cheesy buildings.

The arrival of Chipotle on the northeast corner three years ago was an improvement over the non-descript mid-20th century building that had been on that site. Chipotle was built after a proposal for a Carl’s Drive-in was rejected. From an aesthetic standpoint, this has proven to be the better choice.

Several years ago, a gas station and mini-mart proposed for the northwest corner were rejected. Instead, we’re getting a two-building shopping center that will have a Starbucks and other chain and franchise stores.

It’s replacing four uninspiring looking mid-20th century buildings that were on that site. I was ecstatic when they were torn down.

The new center is following a trend I like of putting the buildings next to the street and the parking lots behind them. Most other Mangrove businesses follow the suburban style of buildings behind parking lots.

The building on the corner has a walk-through tower. The multiple angles of the nearby walls emphasize that this is the focal point of the complex.

The photo that illustrates this blog is a few weeks old, but it shows an architectural feature I like. This part of the building has pilasters. They look like columns, but only partly protrude from the wall.
Both buildings have tall windows facing the street, another nice feature.

The Garden Villa complex on Cohasset Road is the platinum standard for attractive new Chico buildings. But I want to give credit to new projects that attain a gold, silver or bronze standard. I wish the new buildings on the northwest corner of Vallombrosa and Mangrove could have been platinum, but I think they’re far better-looking than a gas station and mini-mart would have been.

The planned mix of tenants in the center is different issue and could be the subject of a future blog. But when it comes to aesthetics, this complex is a good deal.