FRIENDS OF HISTORIC CITY HALL
(and Other Local Treasures)
December 1997 Newsletter, Issue No. 5
Julie Machado, Editor
HISTORIC CITY HALL SAVED
The Friends of Historic City Hall (and Other Local Treasures) ("Friends") continue to celebrate the successful effort to save Hayward's Historic City Hall on Mission Blvd. from destruction. With the passage of Hayward's 1998 Budget, Hayward City Council Members voted to retain the structure as a valuable piece of Hayward's heritage. Friends of the Historic City Hall throughout the Hayward/Eden area applaud the Council's actions and foresight and thank the countless supporters who came to the aid of this threatened landmark.
The City plans to weatherproof the building by replacing its leaking roof. Also, it will develop a "linear park" along the building's frontage on Mission Boulevard, which will establish an appropriate setting for the award-winning 1930 Art Deco building. There are currently no plans to occupy the building, since there is still dispute about how well it would withstand an earthquake. However, the Friends supports the retention of the structure as a valuable "urban monument in a park setting".
FRIENDS EXPANDS HERITAGE GOALS
The Friends would like to expand on the successful efforts to save the Historic City Hall by actively identifying and promoting the enhancement and appreciation of our local landmarks in the original "Eden Township" area, which includes Hayward, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, and Ashland areas. Special focus will be on architecture and landscaping keepsakes. Appreciation of heritage is sweeping the country, and it's time to bring it to our hometown. The rest of this newsletter will update you on our latest efforts.
LOCAL HISTORIC BRIDGES PAINTED
Hooray for Bob Campisi who painted the Grove Street Bridge, and for the Prospect Neighborhood Association for painting the 1925 Hazel Street Bridge!
MARKS HISTORIC DISTRICT
The Friends operated an informational "Local Heritage Booth" at the 1997 Hayward Zucchini Festival, with numerous photo displays depicting dozens of our local keepsakes. One of the displays shows significant buildings in Hayward's "Marks Historic District", which encompasses about 20 square blocks of downtown area which is rich with potentially historic and architecturally interesting buildings.
LUCKY'S PROJECT IN MIDDLE OF HISTORIC DISTRICT?
Lucky's is proposing a huge "mega-market" superstore, combination Lucky's and Sav-On, right in the middle of Hayward's Marks Historic District (see item above), at the corner of A Street and Mission Blvd. This development would destroy several historic buildings, demolish several sycamores in the B Street tree canopy, and completely change the character of the neighborhood. Let the Hayward City Council know what you think about this project. The Friends believes that a more appropriate use for this area would be a Preservation Park, where threatened historic buildings could be moved, rehabilitated, and used. Oakland's Preservation Park is a fine (and successful!) example. Alternatively, we think a better use so close to BART would be the multi-screen theater project now planned for Foothill and Russell. (How many people do their grocery shopping on BART, anyway?)
PARKING GARAGE IN HISTORIC DISTRICT?
The City of Hayward recently proposed building a multi-story parking garage on the block bordered by Mission Blvd. between C and B Streets, next to the US Post Office at C Street and Watkins. Is this an appropriate use for a block in the middle of the Marks Historic District? Will a parking garage be compatible with charming 1- and 2-story historic buildings? Again, let your Hayward Council Members know what you think.
INVENTORY OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS
The Friends are working on consolidating, updating, and creating a thorough inventory of potentially historic and architecturally significant structures in the Hayward-Eden area. This is a necessary first step in developing a comprehensive heritage program.
LORENZO THEATER THREATENED
The Lorenzo Theater on Hesperian Blvd. continues to be threatened. This once fine Art Deco facility is just begging to be rehabilitated. There are Friends who have good ideas and are interested in pursuing this project, but our efforts to contact the owner of the building have been unsuccessful so far. Can anyone out there help us reach the owner?
FESCO REHABILITATES DISTINGUISHED HOUSE
Friends have also been working with the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition (FESCO) in their efforts to rehabilitate a fine older house in the C Street area. Initial (erroneous) indications were that this building served as the original one-room school house for the area, but it turns out this distinction truly belongs to a house down the street. Nevertheless, we applaud FESCO's efforts to respect and rehabilitate the structure.
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Return to: Friends of Historic City Hall
c/o The Historic Linekin Building, 22248 Main St, Hayward CA 94541
or contact: Julie Machado (510) 581-7850 (message) or Frank Goulart (510) 581-9667