Hotel Fresno

Hotel Fresno
rear view with "Hotel Fresno" signage on the exterior wall
Hotel Fresno is located in California
Hotel Fresno
Location1241-1263 Broadway Plz., Fresno, California
Coordinates36°44′09″N 119°47′38″W / 36.73583°N 119.79389°W / 36.73583; -119.79389
Area2.91 acres (1.18 ha)
Built1912
ArchitectEdward T. Foukes
NRHP reference No.100002910[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 13, 2018

The Hotel Fresno is a historic hotel located at 1241-1263 Broadway Plaza[2] in downtown Fresno, California. It is the oldest surviving hotel in the city, built in 1912.[3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.[1]

The hotel was designed by architect Edward T. Foulkes and has been described as Neoclassical in style, with elements of Second Renaissance Revival and Beaux Arts styles.[3] Its design "was reportedly adapted from that of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, known for its crystal-roofed garden court."[3] The Palace Hotel was built in 1875, and was rebuilt in 1909[2] after destruction in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Architectural historian John Edward Powell describes it as having "adopted the 'caravansary' model, that is, a design around a centralized interior court or atrium lobby at first floor."[2]

The hotel closed in 1983 due to "repairs",[4] and has remained vacant for over 39 years.[2] Since mid-2019, the building is currently under renovation to become affordable housing for 79 families.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Weekly list 20180914". National Park Service. September 14, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Jennifer Hembree; Emily Vance (November 30, 2016). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Hotel Fresno (DRAFT)" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved November 16, 2019. With plans and historic photos. This PDF omits 36 photos accompanying the application from 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "A Guide to Historic Architecture in Fresno, California: Hotel Fresno (1912)". Historic Fresno. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  4. ^ "Vintage Fresno: Hotel Fresno Artifact Display at City Hall". Downtown Fresno Blog. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  5. ^ Brianna Calix (July 2, 2019). "This abandoned historic building in downtown Fresno soon will be home for 79 families". Fresno Bee. Includes video.