But this is Chico, too

The last block I wrote about has one good building on it — the 99-year Park Silberstein.

The block directly to the north has three.

Start this walk around the block on the northwest corner of Broadway and Fourth Street in front of the Morehead building, named after a longtime farming family. It has been around since 1901, but has been remodeled twice. In the 1940s, the original facade, which had windows and a cupola, was modernized. In the 1990s, when modern was no longer the preferred look for old buildings, the effect was softened.

Wayne Cook, who owns the building, told me a couple of years ago that he plans to restore it to its original look.

Head west on Fourth. The next building on your right is the Hotel Diamond, which Wayne Cook also owns and has already restored. It has a hotel and restaurant.

It dates from about 1904. For years it was knwon as Traveler's Hotel, In the early 1960s, it was a Chico State University women’s residence, called Morehead Hall. Delancy Restaurant, which closed in 1983, was the last tenant until Cook began his work. The building stood empty for more than 20 years and became one of downtown’s eyesores. Today it is a showplace.

Turn right on Diamond Alley. As you head north, admire the bay windows on Hotel Diamond and imagine how they looked (and may again look) on the Morehead building.

When you reach Third Street, you will be at the northwest corner of what is now known as the Phoenix Building. Built by Jerry Noonan in 1889, it was gutted by a fire in 1975, a fate that has befallen so many downtown Chico buildings. At that time it was called Toad Hall. The latest name alludes to its resurrection after the fire.

When it was rebuilt, it was turned into a mini-mall. Most of the original brick walls remain. The building is owned by the Morehead family.

The Phoenix building has been one of Chico’s principal downtown commercial buildings for almost 120 years.

Posted by at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Here’s another block anchored by a single exquisite building. As you walk the block, you will go from the ridiculous to the sublime and back again.

The Bank of America building, on the southwest corner of Broadway and Fourth Street, is the site of Nichols Hardware, a landmark business that burned down in 1950. Decades ago, Bank of America occupied the vacant building that most recently was the home of Chevy’s Restaurant.

I suppose it’s an exaggeration to call the current Bank of America building ridiculous, but it’s far from sublime. Its neighbor to the south, the Silberstein Park building, comes close to being that, however. One of the best things about the building, which will turn 100 next year, is that it looks good from both the front and back, as you can see by the photos.

Although it was designed to be an office building, Silberstein Park spent most of its life as the La Grande Hotel. At one time, a movie theater, called The Lyric, occupied the ground floor.

The hotel closed in 1982. Local developers Bob Fortino and Bud Tracy refurbished the building in 1984.

Next door to the Park Silberstein is Taco Bell. It vies with Jack in the Box across the street and the 7-11 at First and Main streets for the distinction of being the most inappropriate building in downtown Chico. Taco Bell’s predecessor, a building that stood for 50 years and housed such businesses as Hannah’s Grocery and Betty’s Dress Shop, was torn down in 1966.

Turn right on Fifth Street. All that’s left of this block is the Bank of America parking lot. But here I pay homage to the Italianate style Crew Canfield house, which stood at the northeast corner of Fifth and Salem streets from 1883 until it was torn down in 1966 to make was for the expansion of the bank’s parking lot.

It was built by Alexander Crew, who established one of Chico’s first banks in 1872.

I haven’t lost hope for this block. One day, the Bank of America and Taco Bell buildings may be torn down and be replaced by successors that are more worthy of this setting. But I’m sure the parking lot wil be with us forever.

Posted by at 06:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)