Category Archives: Landmarks

On May 15,1889, the San Diego Trust and Savings Bank was given its charter to open as a banking institution in one side of a small, rented storeroom on 5th Street. Things were moving fast in those days and business was booming.

For over 138 years, the historic Tivoli (spelled backwards is “I lov it!”) has provided a friendly welcome for locals and visitors alike.

Scott – Ingersoll Building 1905-1907 827-835 Fourth Avenue Architect: Quayle Brothers Architectural Style: Commercial Like all properties in downtown San Diego, Lot D, Block 62 of Alonzo Horton’s original map of the area, started its commercial history with the sale of the property by Horton. In September of 1868, Capt. Samuel Dunnells purchased the entire […]

Although it had a rather inauspicious beginning, suffered through multiple owners, and narrowly escaped the wrecking ball, the Clermont Hotel has survived and is now once again flourishing.

Yamada Building 1869 and 1913 516 Fifth Avenue Architect: Unknown Architectural Style: Victorian Commercial Like many of the very early buildings in the Gaslamp, the Yamada building lists no architect. Our early citizens and merchants were not interested in creating an architectural icon to advertise their self-importance; they just needed a serviceable venue to promote […]

As one strolls throughout the Gaslamp, the plethora of restored Victorian era buildings is a sight for sore eyes. While they have maintained their beauty and appeal, these buildings also serve a purpose as each one did at the time of its inception.

The imposing, 4-story building was designed by the Quayle Brothers and their new partner, Charles Cressey, but actually constructed by an Oakland firm – Oliver Duval and Company. When the edifice was completed in 1913, it featured an open courtyard facing Broadway, which was later filled in.

Julian Produce Company Warehouse (1912) 679 J Street Contractors: A & H Brownlee Architectural Style: Italianate Revival /Commercial In the 1880s, San Diego experienced an exceptional land boom, which caused the population to expand from 5,000 to 40,000 in only a few years. However, a world-wide recession followed, and by 1890 the population numbered 16,000 […]

The theater, a truly remarkable building, was begun in 1911 and completed in 1912. At the time of its construction, it was the largest reinforced concrete building in California, and one of few truly modern structures in San Diego, both in its use of materials and in the overall design.

(Lewis Brick Block) (1885) 538 Fifth Avenue Architectural Style: Victorian Commercial Architect: Unknown This attractive little building came about through a carefully constructed party wall agreement between its two neighbors, Archibald H. Julian and Max Lowenstein. It came to sit snugly between the Lincoln Hotel and the Lowenstein Building (now known as The Field).  A […]