Desperately seeking beauty
This walk around the block addresses the same concerns as my last blog, about the Rio Chico neighborhood: how Chico State University is encroaching on old Chico neighborhoods. A lot of conflict could have been avoided if the university had built more beautiful buildings.
We start at the southwest corner of Salem and First streets with Taylor Hall, which took the place of a block of houses about 40 years ago. This ugly building is made much more attractive by John Pugh’s mural that tricks the eye into thinking part of the wall has been removed to reveal Greek columns just beneath the surface.
The university’s master plan calls for this building to be torn down and replaced with two buildings, one of which is to be four stories tall. The plan calls for the architecture of the new buidlings to be compatible with surrounding structures, including the campus’ historic core area.
But what will become of the mural when Taylor Hall is torn down?
As you walk south on Salem the mid-20th century gives way to the 19th century in the brick building that now houses Madison Bear Garden. Originally, this was the home of attorney and land investor Frank Lusk, the man who bought the land from Annie Bidwell that soon became the Rio Chico subdivision.
I have two photos of the building during its tenure as Madison Bear Gardens. The first, taken in 1998, shows how it looks now. The second is from an earlier time when it was painted a lighter color.
The rest of this walk around the block is anti-climactic. Turn the corner and head west on Second and pass beyond the Bear and you will reach Yuba Hall, home of the university box office and the campus police. This is another building that shows that sensitivity for Chico’s history and architecture took a back seat to functionality. Turn right on Normal Avenue, heading north, and you will soon be back at Taylor Hall. This photo shows its entrance from First Street.
Turn right on First. For years this stretch of First has been off-limits to cars, but it still looks like a street. The university master plan calls for it to be turned into “a more pedestrian-friendly promenade.”
Except for the Bear, which is just fine the way it is, this block needs a huge infusion of people-pleasing design elements.
Comments
Recipe Help needed from Chico's Past (really). As a local Chico resident for most of my life,I put myself through high school (Chico) and college (Chico) waiting tables at various restaurants that no longer exist. For those who know the "old" scene, those restaurants had names like La Fonda, Delancy's and the Oaks Bar and Grill. Anyway, there was a steak dish at La Fonda called Carne Asada. It was served there most of the time I waited tables there from about 1979-1983. As many readers might know, the restaurant was owned by Mike Webster, the I think the recipes were brought in by a chef named Henri Spiteri. At any rate, I still think about the marinade that the steak was cooked in, and thought I would reach out. You never know.....
Posted by: Craig Mcculloch | October 9, 2007 08:03 PM
Steve
Your comment about history taking a back seat to functionality tells only a part of the story of poor architectural design on CSU campuses. The CSU system had just emerged as part of the state's Master Plan for Higher Education in the shadown of big papa bear, the UC System in 1960.
Having been on the Chico campus from 1959 I sadly recall how decisions about building design took place.
It was a fight just to get brick trim on some of the boxy buildings. Glenn Hall for example had nothing that matched the architectural palae of the campus. Taylor Hall bricks were a concencssion to its location near Laxon auditorium.
When brick trim for Butte Hall was proposed some trustees wondered if the bricks might not fall off and kill students below.
The dorms were a cookie cutter design by state architects who had never designed a dorm. They only put in enough toilets after protests. One can find them on a number of CSU campuses in various parts of the state.
UC was fortunate to have both a campus architect and project architects. The CSU campuses newly freed from the State Department of Education were not so fortunate in the design of their campuses and buildings. The CSU Trustees, always thought of second class to the UC regents, were far less interested in the architectural design of campus buildings. I say this from being present at all of the CSU and UC meetings in the early sixties.
Poorly designed buildings were only part of the price the CSU has paid for being in the shadow of big papa Bear, the UC system. But that is another story!
Best--Jim Gregg
Posted by: Jim Gregg | October 12, 2007 04:09 PM