Archive | opinion

Mayflower Lofts

Mayflower Lofts

If you have transvered the intersection of Tuolomne and Broadway, you have no doubt noticed the progress on the construction on the Mayflower building. We’ve written before about the interesting design from Pasadena based developers Jake & Romi. I got a sneak peak tour today with Jake (@JakeKojikian). Below are a sampling of photos. This where [...]

Posted in design critiques, featured7 Comments

shelving SEGA

shelving SEGA

The scene was tense in the Fresno City Council chambers Thursday 2/10/11. Council members Andreas Borgeas and Larry Westerlund exchanged flowery yet stabbing words, eye rolled and scoffed at each-other’s comments and argued over procedure. The root of this is a report (download PDF) issued on Friday February 4th by the City Council Finance and [...]

Posted in potential0 Comments

the best and worst architecture of 2010 – nominations

the best and worst architecture of 2010 – nominations

At the start of this year and double ought teens decade, with the help of Joe Moore, and Shaunt Yemenjian,we put together an op-ed list. Decade in Review: Top 10 in Fresno Architecture. Now at the end of the year, at the “end” of the Great Recession, it is time for a new list. Last time we [...]

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Mayflower Hotel under construction

Mayflower Hotel under construction

Have you noticed all the construction happening in the Cultural Arts District these days? Another cool project under construction to add to the list is the Mayflower Hotel on Broadway just North of Tuolumne. The Building owners are Jake Kojikian and Romi Baghgegian. They also are the owners of the renovated Hotel Virginia on Kern and [...]

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potential: Central Valley Cheese

potential: Central Valley Cheese

Have you seen these buildings? - Many of the buildings along Belmont, the southern edge of the Tower District have remained unchanged for 20 plus years unlike the changes Olive has seen. Though I remember the stories of the bustling dive-ins that dotted the strip, a popular drag for teens to cruise from Reoding to Blackstone. Some [...]

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AIASJ Newsletter: Issue No. 10_Q3

AIASJ Newsletter: Issue No. 10_Q3

Below is an article by Enoch Sears, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP. The article was pulled from the newsletter to give you a feel for the content. The newsletter is meant to keep the chapter members and general public up to date with what is happening in the chapter. The printed copies are available [...]

Posted in AIASJ Newsletter, design critiques0 Comments

Fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks help create an environment of celebration with light and sound. Sound and light elements can have great impacts in shaping our experiences though they are often not giving the attention they deserve in design of buildings and landscapes. Enjoy creating environments of celebration this 4th of July weekend. Pay attention to how light and sound influences [...]

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summer canal flow

summer canal flow

- This peaceful canal flowing in the Tower District of Fresno, CA. Conserve water. Don’t water your grass. Our farmers need it to grow our food.

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Potential: ACME MACHINE CO.

Potential: ACME MACHINE CO.

Further digging into Fresno buildings that have untapped potential we bring you ACME Machine Company. I ride by this one everyday on my way to the office. It is on H Street just North of the 180 overpass. This is a structure that Craig Scharton has told me he admires and would like to see [...]

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Potential: 64 Fulton

Potential: 64 Fulton

Among others in Fresno such as fresnomodern.com, here at archop, we have a growing appreciation of mid-century modernism. Fresno surely does have some gems and a history of renown architects designing buildings here in that era. We would like to see that appreciation spread though the Fresno community. UPDATE 4-27-10 The dead tree was removed yesterday exposing [...]

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WTF: California Funding & Investments

WTF: California Funding & Investments

This is the first of a reoccurring feature we will cal: What The Façade or WTF Every once in awhile you come across a building that is really well thought out, contextual and pleasing to the eye. This is not the case with the building below. One of our readers sent us the image below with [...]

Posted in What The Façade11 Comments

Decade in Review: Top 10 in Fresno Architecture

Decade in Review: Top 10 in Fresno Architecture

Inspired by an article that John King wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle, we decided to do a Decade in Review article to identify the 10 best buildings representing Fresno architecture. Our parameters were that the buildings be in Fresno County with construction completed between 2000 and 2009. The reviewers were Joe Moore, president of [...]

Posted in design critiques, featured45 Comments

step loudly – Henry Madden Library design flaw

step loudly – Henry Madden Library design flaw

The Henry Madden Library at CSU Fresno is perhaps the most high profile new building in the San Joaquin Valley. It surely is has become a landmark building and destination of the Fresno State campus. The Madden Library warrants a full detailed review, which my take sometime. However, recently a note was posted to the [...]

Posted in design critiques9 Comments

City to draft RFP for former Met properties

City to draft RFP for former Met properties

The topic for today is the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science. he City of Fresno is in escrow for the block containing the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science and a parcel across the street containing a parking lot. By everyone’s account, the city did not want to own this property. You may [...]

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APA California 2009 Conference

APA California 2009 Conference

In May of 2009 the California Planning Roundtable was held in Fresno. The California Planning Roundtable (CPR) is an organization of experienced planning professionals who are members of the American Planning Association (APA). The mission of the Roundtable is to provide a forum for prominent planners to exercise creativity and leadership in promoting understanding of [...]

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open the mall to traffic

open the mall to traffic

It can be hard to realize how entrenched and polarized some arguments have become. Then someone witty comes along & turns the argument on it’s head. That is what happened today when THE FRESNAN (who we’ve highlighted before) wrote a fantastic satire of a post that throws all the much debated changes to the Fulton [...]

Posted in opinion4 Comments

a young architect

a young architect

I get lots of lawn care flyers at my door. These flyers for the most part are copies of hand written originals. Others where created in the computer and include clip art of a lawnmower or other yard care icon. When I got home yesterday, there was a new flyer jutting out of my mail slot. [...]

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the last of the urban pioneers?

the last of the urban pioneers?

The origin of the question “The last of the urban pioneers?” came a few weeks ago as I biked down Fulton to Milano. I noticed a new sign that intrigued me. It was in the empty lot next to Tokyo Gardens. The building that once stood there was demolished by the City of Fresno due [...]

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Critique: Tower District Streetscape Design Charrette

Hank Delcore, Ph.D., and Kiel Famellos-Schmidt also found at http://theanthroguys.com Saturday from 10am to 2pm, about a hundred Tower District residents and business owners gathered for a design charrette put on by the City of Fresno planning department and MW Steele Group. Steele has the contract for planning a redesigned Tower District streetscape as part of [...]

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Historic Preservation Commission

Today on the Fresno City Council agenda is a proposal by Mayor Ashley Swearengin to amending the Fresno Municipal Code relating to the Historic Preservation Commission. That is not as drastic as it may sound and maybe a good modification. In fact, her bid for election as mayor was supported by several prominent local architects. [...]

Posted in local, opinion3 Comments

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