Downtown Hollister Historic District: Noncontributors, Part 4

Okey-dokey, here is the last group of noncontributing historic buildings to the Downtown Hollister Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  I'm not completely done with the series though. Come back tomorrow to see photos of buildings within this historic district that went up after the district was entered into the National Register in 1992.

544 San Benito Street

This historic one-story building was constructed around 1920. I think it may have been built for J.C. Penney. As a kid in the 1950s and 1960s, I knew this building as the Baughman's Department Store. In the 1980s, Ford Department Store opened there. Today, the building has two sections, with the San Benito County Esperanza Center occupying the south side and Discount Furniture on the north side.

575 San Benito Street

The commercial building that Wells Fargo occupies today was built around 1975. The notes in the National Register of Historic Places state the building "...is the district's only example of strikingly incompatible design."  Perhaps. The building is beautiful.

710 San Benito Street

The gas station at the southwest corner of San Benito and Seventh Streets has been a gas station for as long as I can remember. Several buildings has gone up on this site over the decades. The noncontributing building cited by the National Register of Historic Places is the smallest building behind the gas pumps. That's the one on the left with the sign Cheap Beer and Cigarettes. It was built in the mid-1970s.

713 San Benito Street

This quaint looking one-story building was constructed around 1920.The original architectural features that remain are the recessed panels on each end of the building.  Sears Catalog once occupied the building. Today it is the home to Metropolis.

Interestingly, this historic building sits between an empty lot (which was once a theater) and one of the newer buildings in Downtown Hollister. The original buildings were damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.

737 San Benito Street

Many old-time locals will remember this site as the home to Baywood Creamery, which had been there before 1970 when this reinforced concrete building was constructed. This "new" building is currently occupied by AJ Sushi.

801 San Benito Street

Constructed around 1960, the long section of the L-shaped historic building has always been a liquor store, while the smaller section was an office. The businesses occupying the spaces today are the Pacheco's Express Way Liquor Store and Dabo Financial Group.


To check out the other noncontributing historic buildings to the Downtown Hollister Historic District, please click here. To check out the contributing buildings, please click here.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: Noncontributors, Part 3

Today and tomorrow, I cover the last of the noncontributing buildings in the Downtown Hollister Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Even though some of these historic buildings were constructed between 1880 and 1942, they are categorized as noncontributors because their original material and/or architectural details were removed during alterations.

435 San Benito Street

This one-story commercial building was constructed around 1900. The notes in the National Register of Historic Places describe this building as having "...a gable roof masked on the front (west) elevation by a simple rectangular parapet." There must've been a remodel after the early 1990s that removed the gable roof and added the second storefront on the south side of the building.

Occupying this site today is Design Line & Granger Printing (435 San Benito Street) and New Image Salon (437 San Benito Street).

439 - 443 San Benito Street

Built around 1920, this commercial edifice originally was one storefront listed as 443 San Benito Street. In the 1940s, it was divided into two sections. Today, the building is occupied by three businesses: Su Casita Multiservicios (439 San Benito Street), Aristotle Insurance Agency (441 San Benito Street),  and Simple Mobile Solutions (443 San Benito Street).

510 and 512 San Benito Street

Here is another historic commercial building in Downtown Hollister that has been divided into two sections so it seems like separate buildings. This building was constructed around 1900. The entry way to the southern section is beautifully paved with bricks.

La Villa de Jerez Taqueria occupies the storefront at 512 San Benito Street. The one at 510 San Benito Street is vacant.

520 San Benito Street

This building was also constructed around 1900, possibly the same time as its neighbor on its north flank. A false stone siding gives it a look unique from other buildings in the Downtown Hollister Historic District. Only the Honorable Tattoos & Body Piercings occupies this site today.

526 San Benito Street

This one-story concrete-block building was constructed in the early 1950s, according to the National Register of Historic Places. But, I wonder whether that's correct. In 1947, bikers during the so-called Hollister Riot drove through Johnny's Bar & Grill, which continues to occupy the building today.

535 San Benito Street

This one-story commercial building was constructed around 1950. The architect did a great job designing it to blend in with the look of the other buildings in Downtown Hollister.  The storefront has an attached garage in the rear that opens to Briggs Alley. The Hollister Sign Company is located in the garage space, while the storefront is currently vacant.

Contributing Buildings

Over the past six weeks, I posted photos of over 40 contributing buildings to the Downtown Hollister Historic District. To check out those posts, please click here.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: Noncontributors, Part 2

Today's post covers the noncontributing buildings in the Downtown Hollister Historic District on Fifth Street, between San Benito and Monterey Streets, and on Sixth Street.

322 Fifth Street

This three-story brick commercial building was constructed around 1985. Sometimes I think I'm looking at the side of the building rather than the face. It could be because the lot is narrow compared to the other sites on the street.

334 – 336 Fifth Street

I was surprised to learn that the Granada Theater building is not a contributing building to the Downtown Hollister Historic District.  It's categorized as a noncontributor because many of the building's original architectural details were removed. The two-story reinforced concrete building was constructed around 1940.

345 Fifth Street

This handsome office building is formally known as the Ross Building. It was constructed around 1948. To learn a bit more about it, please click here.

225 Sixth Street

This two-story historic building is another of the more modern buildings in the Downtown Hollister Historic District. It was constructed in the late 1970s. Today, Pierce Real Estate occupies the building.

Contributing Buildings

Over the past six weeks, I posted photos of over 40 contributing buildings to the Downtown Hollister Historic District. To check out those posts, please click here. 

Downtown Hollister Historic District: Noncontributors, Part 1

The vacant building at 220 Fourth Street was the former San Benito Hotel. Built in 1900, it is part of the Downtown Hollister Historic District. Unlike the two buildings that it sits between—the Masonic Lodge and the former Villa Pace Hotel, this historic building is a non-contributing building to the historic district.

The Downtown Hollister Historic District has a number of noncontributors, which means that during renovations, some of their original materials were replaced or their original design elements were lost. Over the next few days, I'll be featuring some of these historic buildings.

140 Fifth Street

Yes, this is a Quonset hut. It was built around 1946 and once was part of Bauder and Company, which occupied the site on its west side. (This picture was taken in 2012.)

202 Fifth Street

This corner building at Fifth and East Streets was constructed around 1915. Architectural details were removed from the building during a 1950s remodeling, according to the notes in the National Register of Historic Places.

206 and 208 Fifth Street

This historic noncontributor was built around 1920. It's a single-story building with two storefronts. Today, Country Groomers (206 Fifth Street) occupies the east side of the building while Koas Gallery Tattoo (208 Fifth Street) is on the west side.

221 Fifth Street

The building that was once home to Muenzer's  was constructed around 1950. Cornets occupied this site when I was a young child. Perhaps it was built for the five and dime store.

230 Fifth Street

Built in 1907, this historic edifice has none of its original facade, according to the notes in the National Register of Historic Places. By the way, have you ever been in Irma's Fashions, a women's clothing shop? It has some very cute items in there.

Contributors

Over the past six weeks, I posted photos of over 40 contributing buildings to the Downtown Hollister Historic District. Click here to see those posts. Contributors mean that the buildings still maintain their original materials and design elements, particularly above the first floor if they are multi-story buildings. Owners of contributing buildings cannot demolish them without first meeting certain requirements.