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HomeMy WebLinkAbout010119_Template-GrandCentralMrkt_110NSycamore.pdfPage 1 of 5 cm\historic\templates\Sycamore 110 N (Grand Central Mrkt) 9/26/01 NAME Grand Central Market REF. NO. 156 ADDRESS 110-122 North Sycamore Street and 109-117 North Broadway CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT 1922 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Key HISTORIC DISTRICT Downtown Santa Ana NEIGHBORHOOD N/A NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION A, C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1D Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R ¼ of ¼ of Sec : B.M. Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Other: One- or Two-Story Brick Commercial DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE: As newly settled American towns grew, commercial centers evolved from simple beginnings of a handful of wood-frame commercial buildings to more permanent construction in brick. One frequently seen building type, the one- or two-story brick commercial building, owed its appearance more to function than to the popular architectural styles. It may be recognized by its relatively modest scale, brick construction, and façade topping parapet, which could be partially raised in a stepped or triangular pattern. Façades were generally finished with a different color brick than the common red bond used on non-public elevations. Fenestration was straightforward, with storefronts and display windows banded by transoms on lower stories and double-hung sash on upper stories, Page 2 of 5 cm\historic\templates\Sycamore 110 N (Grand Central Mrkt) 9/26/01 when present. Symmetry, with a central emphasis keynoted by the parapet, was common. Architectural detailing, if any, was picked out by contrasting color bricks or by variations in brick patterns. Commercial buildings of this type began appearing in the late 19th century and persisted through the first two or three decades of the 20th century. In later years, the building type was often adapted to automobile-related uses, such as garages and repair shops. CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations) See 125 North Broadway. RELATED FEATURES: (Other important features such as barns, sheds, fences, prominent or unusual trees, or landscape) None DESCRIPTION: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, settings, and boundaries.) The Grand Central Market constitutes the southern portion of the building complex historically referred to as the Grand Central Market. Spanning the block between Broadway and Sycamore Street south of Second Street, the building is a one-story brick structure, which originally presented identical facades to both streets. The Broadway frontage was substantially altered in the 1960s. The Sycamore elevation, although modified, still conveys its historic appearance. Three large arches, now enclosed, are outlined by broad, flat, archivolts. A belt course spans the façade above the arches. Triangular parapets rise above the north and south bays; a semi-circular parapet over the central bay has been removed. The façade has been stuccoed; it is not clear from historic photographs if this was historically the case. HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: The Grand Central Market complex was built in two stages. In 1922 a one-story market building containing stalls for independent grocers, produce vendors, butchers, etc. was constructed mid-block between First and Second Streets, with openings facing both Broadway and Sycamore Street. Two years later, in 1924, a two-story addition (the Grand Central Building, 125 North Broadway), fronting on Second Street and containing 12 storefronts topped by 29 residential apartments, was erected. The main entrance on Second Street provided additional access to the original market to the south. The complex was the product of the Santa Ana Investment Company, a syndicate composed of prominent local citizens, who had been inspired by the Grand Central Market located in downtown Los Angeles. Principals of the firm included Linn Shaw, pioneer resident and former postmaster; Roy Russell, realtor; A. N. Zerman, H. Work, and Frank Purington. The architect of the 1922 building was W. W. Kays of Santa Ana; the architects of the addition were H. Newton Thornton of Santa Ana and F. L. Lindsay of Long Beach. Although primarily known as a market and residential venue, the complex also was home to a variety of retail concerns, including clothing and notions shops, a clock shop, a cleaners, a flower shop, and a smoke shop. One establishment, the Radio Den, became home to Orange County’s first radio station, KFAW, which was licensed in 1922 and moved to the market in 1924 upon leaving its initial location at the Santa Ana Register. RESOURCE ATTRIBUTES: (List attributes and codes from Appendix 4 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation.) (HP 6) 1-3 story Commercial Building Page 3 of 5 cm\historic\templates\Sycamore 110 N (Grand Central Mrkt) 9/26/01 RESOURCES PRESENT: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other MOVED? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, geographic scope, and integrity.) Santa Ana was founded by William Spurgeon in 1869 as a speculative townsite on part of the Spanish land grant known as Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. Early growth and development was stimulated by the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1878 and the Santa Fe Railroad in 1886. By the end of the 1880s, Santa Ana’s downtown business district was defined by five city blocks of brick commercial buildings on Fourth Street, with the heart of the city at the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets (Thomas, 8:1). The early 1900s witnessed the construction of many new business blocks or remodels along Fourth and the adjacent streets, and by the 1920s Santa Ana’s downtown had expanded in all directions to include both commercial and civic development. The Grand Central Market complex is significant historically for its unique function in downtown Santa Ana. Markets that provide spaces for independent vendors, both wholesale and retail, have a history that can be traced back to ancient times. More recent examples were found in many major American cities, including Pike’s Place Market in Seattle, Quincy Market in Boston, Soulard Market in St. Louis, and Grand Central Market in Los Angeles, the closest relative to Santa Ana’s Grand Central Market. Testimony to the vitality of Santa Ana in the 1920s, Grand Central Market was also, in the diversity of products offered in a single enclosed space, a forerunner of today’s shopping mall. In its original condition, the Grand Central Market was a representative example of its building type, with large openings occupying nearly the full width of the street elevations and a large, interior open space. Character-defining exterior features of the Grand Central Market, which should be preserved, include but may not be limited to: brick construction; three façade arches; archivolts and belt course; and triangular parapets. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: This building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as a contributor to the Downtown Historic District. Under the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the building is also listed in the California Register. The property is included in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property and has been categorized as “Key” because it has a “distinctive architectural style and quality,” and “is characteristic of a significant period in the history of the City of Santa Ana” (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2(2)). If restored to its historic appearance on the Sycamore Street and Broadway elevations, the Grand Central Market would meet the criteria for “Landmark” categorization. OWNER AND ADDRESS: Page 4 of 5 cm\historic\templates\Sycamore 110 N (Grand Central Mrkt) 9/26/01 RECORDED BY: (Name, affiliation, and address) Leslie J. Heumann Science Applications International Corporation 35 S. Raymond Avenue, Suite 204, Pasadena, CA 91105 DATE RECORDED: July 30, 2001 SURVEY TYPE: (Intensive, reconnaissance, or other) Intensive Survey Update REPORT CITATION: (Cite survey report and other sources) Les, Kathleen. “Santa Ana Historic Survey, Final Resources Inventory: Downtown.” May 1980. Thomas, Harold M. “Downtown Santa Ana Historic District” National Register nomination form, 1984. REFERENCES: (List documents, date of publication, and page numbers. May also include oral interviews.) Harris, Cyril M. American Architecture: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York, WW Norton, 1998. Heritage Orange County and the City of Santa Ana. Downtown Walking Tour, Santa Ana, 1986. Marsh, Diann. Santa Ana, An Illustrated History. Encinitas, Heritage Publishing, 1994. McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984. National Register Bulletin 16A. “How to Complete the National Register Registration Form.” Washington DC: National Register Branch, National Park Service, US Dept. of the Interior, 1991. Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1969. Thomas, Harold. “Grand Central Market.” Historic Preservation Certification Application-Part 1. ND. “Then and now.” The Register, no date (circa 1985). “KFAW-Santa Ana.” www.oldradio.com/archives/stations/LA EVALUATOR: Leslie J. Heumann DATE OF EVALUATION: July 30, 2001 EXPLANATION OF CODES: • National Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From Appendix 7 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) A: that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. C: that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. • National Register Status Code: (From Appendix 2 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) 1D: Contributor to a listed district. Page 5 of 5 cm\historic\templates\Sycamore 110 N (Grand Central Mrkt) 9/26/01 110-122 North Sycamore Street Grand Central Building, left, and Grand Central Market, right, at the southeast corner of Second Street and Broadway. First American Title Insurance Company photograph reproduced in Santa Ana, An Illustrated History.