In addition to the L Street & San Joaquin Avenue proposal, also on Monday’s agenda of the City of Fresno Historic Preservation Commission was the proposed demolition of three properties on Broadway Avenue near Tuolumne. The three building were not on any historic registry. However, in a historic survey of the area they were found to be contributors to a potential historic district called Broadway Auto Row. The district included a strip of buildings that where once used as Car showrooms parts suppliers and repair shops.
The proposed demolition was brought to the Commission by owners Will Dyke and Reza Assemi. Reza developed a building across the street called Broadway Studios which features a restored facade containing 3 commercial spaces in front and 20+ artist work studios in the back.
The discussion by the Commission did get heated and even jumped to the controversial demolition by Will Dyke of the Nationally Registered Ice House Building. (1, 2, 3, 4) At one point architect and commissioner said “Downtown keeps getting it teeth knocked out.” Also as coauthor of Fresno’s Historic Preservation Ordinance, he disagreed with staff abou the intent of the Ordinance.
The only action the committee could talk was to recomend the the buildings are individually eligable for the Local Registry. That is a higher threshold than a building that is a contributor to a historic district. It was a 4 to 2 vote to not rocomend the buildings for the Local Registry. That vote cleared the path for Will and Reza to pull a demolition pemit for the three buildings.
I had written about the demolition of the two buildings next door to these properties. The building on the end was commonly known as the Nightmare Building. On Fresno Famous the post was title Eulogy of the Nightmare.
