H E A D L I N E S

Winners of the 2020
San Rafael Heritage Preservation & Cityscape Awards

San Rafael Heritage happily announces the 2020 Preservation and Cityscape award winners.  We are very excited about honoring fine architecture, cultural sites, and innovations in our town based upon members’ keen observations of San Rafael’s heritage and cityscape.

Description of Awards
  • The Preservation Award recognizes structures or sites of import in our city with significant restoration and/or improvements that maintain the historic character of building or site. Recognition is open to buildings and resources spanning pre-history to mid-twentieth century.
  • The Cityscape Award recognizes exemplary new projects that enhance our city. This is an opportunity to honor innovative design and new projects in San Rafael. The caliber of the nominations will dictate the number of winners. 

Preservation Awards
Photos by Susan Adler & Leslie Simons

709-711 Fourth Street    (The Tavern on Fourth)
Bar Proprietor/Restorer:  John Radovich
Building Owner: Glenn Koorhan
The building was built c.1889 for Thomas Nichols, who ran a downstairs saloon and lived upstairs. There is a stained-glass window in the door with an "N" for the name of the original owner. Mr. Nichols had formerly been the proprietor of the German Hotel at the northeast corner of B and Third.

The saloon owner has recently upgraded the now-impressive facade in a manner fitting its listing on the San Rafael Architectural/Historical survey. The saloon interiors were also cleaned and upgraded from what had been for many years an uninteresting space.

Besides its restored beauty, the most important and urgent reason for recognizing this building is its proximity to San Rafael’s station area and the impact and pressure of high-rise development in this part of the downtown district. There have even been suggestions within the city government of relocating the NWP depot across Tamalpais. If that were to happen, this building with its active business would be displaced or demolished along with what is believed to be the taxi office for the depot and ferry ticket office for the Richmond - San Rafael Ferry, which was built between 1925 and 1932.

27 Quarry Road, San Rafael
Dan & Virginia Mardesich, Owners

This beautiful Queen Anne mansion is one of those hidden secrets of the City of San Rafael. Constructed in 1882, the original owner of the completed home was George D. Boyd (no relation to Louise Boyd or her family), who had a connection to A. W. Foster, owner of the Fairhills estate. The current owners, who bought the building in 1967, are only the third owners.  They have been meticulous in their care for this beautifully maintained building.

According to the San Rafael Survey, the house features a wide wraparound porch with a pedimented, arched entrance with a carved floral relief. Profuse applied decoration is found all around, which include snowflakes and a sunburst in the gable. A horseshoe detail adds to the overall elaborate detail on the second floor, and leaded windows are carried through to the eave line.

Additions to the original structure include a garage with a deck and pergola attached to the side. The landscaping includes large exotic trees and a rock walled terraced garden. The original carriage house still stands, although it has been altered into another gracious and grand family home.

127 San Rafael Avenue
Sonja Velez, Owner

This house is an elegant example of the Italianate style in California.  It was built in 1883 and was restored by the Landecker family from 1972 to 2017.  Efforts were made to preserve both the exterior and the interior structures as much as possible. 

The new owner, who acquired the house last year, not only has honored that work, but has planned extensive rehabilitation of problem areas such as the foundation and electrical connections.  It has now been beautifully re-painted, and the house and grounds are "a gift to the street."

Cityscape Awards

Fire Station 57  at Marin County Civic Center
Owners:  City of San Rafael/County of Marin

The original Fire Station 57 had to be demolished and rebuilt in order to conform to safety standards.  Marin County Measure E funds were used for this project.  The resulting 2019 station was a City/County collaborative effort, as the station is owned by the City and sits on County property.   The design was important as an architectural endeavor, since all structures on Marin Civic Center land must be licensed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. The resulting Station 57 captures the spirit and some of the arced lines of the Marin County Civic Center, which is reminiscent of the arched Pont du Gard in southern France, said to be Wright's inspiration for the Civic Center.

80 Forbes Avenue
Jennifer & James Dutro, Owners

This was a c.1900 home that never received the typical decorative features or fenestration common for the era in which it was built. Before its total remodel it was a plain box with a long straight staircase to the sidewalk's edge and a small landing at the front door. It was so homely that, even with its age and size, it was not even considered for the 1978 San Rafael Historical/ Architectural Survey.

The only remaining notable feature of the original front facade is the oval window on the top floor. The prior owner, Dan Magdanz, made most of the exterior alterations bringing the building to the level of a "gift to the street" that it is now. The changes began with the addition of a garage on Quarry Road side and new foundations. Then slowly the wrap-around porch grew, the shingles were added and the feel of an elegant turn-of-the-century home emerged. This once-ugly duckling is now a fine addition to an already beautiful and gracious neighborhood. The current owners have completely restored the redwood interiors that in the past had been painted over.

Mission Statement

To promote the preservation of San Rafael’s historic resources and architecturally significant 
buildings and to support other historical and preservationist organizations in Marin County.

Goals

“The prevention of needless destruction of structures of historic, architectural or aesthetic value is essential to the economy and general welfare of the public."  (San Rafael Historic Preservation Ordinance)
  • To seek City of San Rafael designation of Landmark status to any appropriate San Rafael resource of local, state, or national historic significance
  • To promote the preservation of San Rafael’s historic and architecturally significant resources
  • To assist elected and appointed government officials in San Rafael and Marin County as they deliberate matters relating to historic resources. 
  • To encourage the City of San Rafael to act promptly to update its 1986 list of architecturally and historically significant buildings, to expand the list to include deserving buildings that were omitted from the original list, to clarify and strengthen the existing historic preservation ordinance, and to consider adopting a Mills Act, or Historical Property Contract program, to encourage restoration and proper maintenance of historic buildings through tax benefits.
  • To give support to any viable entity that seeks to fulfill the mission of preservation of artifacts,
    photographs and documents relating to the history of Marin County including the Marin History
    Museum, Anne T. Kent California Room and other historically oriented groups in the county and beyond.