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Home My WebLink About010109_Template-BrunnerBldgOldJail_116EFourth.pdfPage 1 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Fourth 116 E (Brunner Bldg-Old Jail) 8/1/01 NAME Brunner Building/Old City Jail REF. NO. 239 ADDRESS 116 East Fourth Street CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT 1877; 1931 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Contributive HISTORIC DISTRICT Downtown Santa Ana NEIGHBORHOOD NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1D Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R _ of _ of Sec : B.M Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Other DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE: Original stylistic characteristics have been obscured or removed as a result of remodeling activities. Page 2 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Fourth 116 E (Brunner Bldg-Old Jail) 8/1/01 CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations) Built in 1877 Storefront remodel in 1920 Façade remodel in 1931 Storefront remodel circa 1965 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 two-story Brunner Building is located mid-block on the south side of East Fourth Street between Main and Bush Streets. It was originally constructed in 1877, with significant alterations dating to the mid- and later 20th century. The first floor consists of two bays - a storefront and an upstairs entrance - all faced with crimson glazed tile and with newer storefront and entry systems. The storefront entry is deeply recessed and flanked by large display windows, topped by wood framed transoms. The upstairs entrance door is aluminum framed with a three-light transom above. The second floor has four one-over-one double-hung wood sash windows that appear to replace the original, more elongated windows as evidenced by the infill at the bottom of the openings. The easternmost bay is faced in gray brick, with the rest of the second floor faced in pinkish brick of varying shades. An intermittent course of white glazed brick forms a line at the cornice level. HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: This small commercial building has housed a variety of retail businesses over the years. The longest-term tenant was K.A. Loerch, an optometrist, who occupied the building from 1909 to 1930 (Les, 9). He shared the building with many other retail businesses. The original city jail was located in the basement of the building (Les, 9). 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 4 cm\historic\templates\Fourth 116 E (Brunner Bldg-Old Jail) 8/1/01 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 period of 1911-1915 saw many characteristic new business blocks or remodels along Fourth Street, and by the 1920s Santa Ana’s downtown had expanded in each direction to include both commercial and civic development. Many of the storefronts and upper level facades along Fourth Street date from the 1920s, when the use of glazed or ceramic brick came into popularity (Thomas, 8:1). The Brunner Building illustrates commercial building design trends from three eras in downtown Santa Ana. The massing, dimensions, and overall configuration are remnants from the original 19th century construction, while the upper story is relatively intact to 1931. The ground level reveals the greatest extent of alteration, primarily in its finishes which post-date 1931, although the layout dates back to 1931 or before. The function of the basement of the building as the old City Jail adds a historic association of note to the property. Due to the successive alterations of the building, existing character-defining exterior features which should be preserved are not extensive and include (but may not be limited to): the brick façade cladding; wood-framed transom on the first floor; storefront configuration; and possibly the tiled storefront facing. 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. As a somewhat intact example of the evolution of the vernacular “Main Street” design which personified downtown Santa Ana development during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the building satisfies Criterion 1 for inclusion in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property. Additionally, the property has been categorized as “Contributive” because it “contributes to the overall character and history” of the downtown historic district (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2(3)). OWNER AND ADDRESS: Jose and Aurora Ceballos 116 East Fourth Street Santa Ana, CA 92701 Page 4 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Fourth 116 E (Brunner Bldg-Old Jail) 8/1/01 RECORDED BY: (Name, affiliation, and address) Leslie Heumann & Liz Carter Science Applications International Corporation 35 S. Raymond Avenue, Suite 204, Pasadena, CA 91105 DATE RECORDED: January 19, 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, p. 9. 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 Inc. “Downtown Santa Ana Historic District Walking Tour.” nd. 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 Department of the Interior, 1991. Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1969. EVALUATOR: Leslie Heumann DATE OF EVALUATION: January 19, 2001 EXPLANATION OF CODES: • National Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From Appendix 7 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) 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.