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SR Heritage Herald - September
The Heritage Herald
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      MISSION
Our mission is to promote the preservation of San Rafael’s historic resources and architecturally significant structures and to support other historical and preservationist organizations in Marin County.
Hello San Rafael Heritage Friends,

A warm welcome to local history fans we met at the Richard Torney lecture at the Elks Lodge. So glad you are on board!

I'm reporting in after a busy two months of establishing relationships with City planners and local preservation organizations.

Our 2026 goals lay out what we consider a constructive path forward for historic preservation in San Rafael.  In this time of large ministerial development projects that the Planning Department and the public must process, your Board decided to: 

  1. Work with the City for implementation of the Downtown Precise Plan and placemaking as it relates to historic preservation

  2. Establish working relationships with the City’s Departments of Community Development, Library and Recreation, and the City Manager’s office

  3. Pursue our partnership with the Marin History Museum

  4. Create space on our website to provide information about historic preservation and relevant regulations, laws, and resources

    Sue Burrell and I have met with the Chair of the Planning Commission twice and with the Planning Department Director.  It is clear that unless historic preservation is mentioned in the city's 3-year strategic plan, it will not become part of their work plan.  One mention is about the Carnegie Library, which you may know is not landmarked.  We have workshopped with our Board member Laura Ackley, an architectural historian, to discuss the landmarking process, Our next meeting is with the new City Manager to discuss the Carnegie.

    We also met with the leaders of Larkspur and San Anselmo's historic preservation commissions and, earlier in the year, the Chair of the Marin History Museum Board.

    This networking is creating important connections within our preservation community.

    Note two important community opportunities coming our way:

    September 23,  6:30 pm, Candidates Forum - Contested City Council and Assembly races.
    At San Rafael High School's Student Commons Building, facing 3rd St and the parking lot.  
    October 14, 6:30 pm - Zoom LINK Housing Confab: Assembly member Damon Connolly and Mayor Kate Colin 
    Topic: How can California municipalities and counties form alliances to reform state housing policies allowing for affordable and increased housing stock without compromising essential priorities of municipalities?
    Both events are co-sponsored by the Federation of San Rafael Neighborhoods and the  Point San Pedro Road Coalition.

    I share these events because municipal priorities must include historic preservation.

    Please feel free to contact us.

    All the best,
    Amy Likover
    SRH President
    [email protected]
    415-450-1520

How to Make a Difference With Planning Projects

We have heard from a number of you about the many planning projects being presented to City planners.  You'd like to present your thoughts about historic buildings as they relate to developments and would like to make a difference.  

San Rafael Major Projects Link - Developers and City Planners are listed for each project.

Fact: If a project is in the preliminary planning stage, your comments to the developer will be received and considered. During this preliminary planning stage, the City planner assigned to the project has not yet opened a comments file, so do not write to the planner.  Instead, email the developer (see link above) and us at [email protected]

We will compile a file of your comments and forward them to the City planner per the project you address. This way, your comments will not be lost and will be considered through the lens of historic preservation.

As a case study, the proposed 901 E St (Marin Eyes) building has been sold to Monahan Pacific Corporation, and their housing project is in the preliminary planning stage.  CLICK HERE for more information on the project. This 90-year building is neither landmarked nor listed on the City's historical/architectural survey. The building sits on the site of the old E St. public graveyard, which was subsequently moved to the Tamalpais Cemetery. The first official San Rafael High School was built on that same spot in 1889 and housed the San Rafael Library until 1908. The high school building was subsequently demolished. In 1936 the old E Street School was built at the same site and it is that structure that is slated for demolition for the Monahan project referenced above.
As mentioned before, the old E Street building is not on the survey nor is landmarked, but in the opinion of our Board member and SRH Historian, "It should have been."  Please scroll down for the Marin IJ article about this project in which SRH board members are quoted.  If you would like to voice your concern about the proposed development, write to the developer with a copy to us.  We will forward your emails to the City if the plan moves forward. CLICK HERE for more information on the project.
San Rafael Heritage and Marin History Museum comments are excerpted from the full August 27, 2026 article.

SAN RAFAEL

Housing developer files new proposal E Street plan calls for 200 apartments

BY RICHARD HALSTEAD
[email protected]
[See pertinent information excerpted from the article below]
The property on E Street has an 18,500-square-foot, concrete building that was built in 1936.

“It’s a very handsome historic building on a historic site,” said Amy Likover, president of San Rafael Heritage, a nonprofit preservation organization.

Lori Deibel, a research librarian with the Marin History Museum, said the parcel is the site where one of San Rafael’s earliest high schools was built in 1889.

San Rafael Heritage member Leslie Simons said, “The high school was a large wood building that was three or four stories tall with a big tower in the middle.”

Simons said the structure, which also housed the San Rafael library for five years, was torn down in 1936 and replaced by the concrete building.

The newer building, which housed an elementary school, is known commonly as the “old E Street school.” In recent years, it has been used as a commercial office building.

Simons said the building is not among the structures marked for protection on San Rafael’s historical and architectural survey list.

“I think it should have been,” she said.

Likover said, “I think that community members should be heard about the historic nature of this building.”

Questions, information or comments?
And to volunteer - contact: [email protected] 

Amy: 415-450-1520

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Read Vice President Sue Burrell's Commentary in the Marin IJ:
San Rafael needs to take next step for historic preservation  

2026 Preservation Award at City Hall

San Rafael Heritage Vice-President Sue Burrell presented our 2026 Preservation Award, May 4th at City Hall, to the Carnegie Library for their recent renovation.  Catherine Quffa, Library & Recreation Director accepted the award. The certificate read:
In recognition of the excellent 2025 restoration and enhancement of this 1909 historic building and important cultural resource honoring its history, architecture and character, and its ongoing cultural significance to our community. 
Picture
SRH member Emese Wood, VP Sue Burrell, Catherine Quffa, SRH board member Laura Ackley
Watch video from our Saturday, April 18th meeting At Historic Studio Fourth Street
With Heather McPhail Sridharan, Marin History Museum President
​
Preservation Award to the Carnegie Library
Cityscape Award to Aegis Living

Followed by a panel on:
The Intersection of Downtown Development & Historic Preservation
Shall we get in on the ground floor of a 24-story development?

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

  1. Focus on the growth of the organization
  2. Work with the City for implementation of the Downtown Precise Plan and placemaking as it relates to historic preservation
  3. Establish working relationships with the City’s Departments of Community Development, Library and Recreation, and the City Manager’s office
  4. Pursue our partnership with the Marin History Museum
  5. Create space on our website to provide information about historic preservation and relevant regulations, laws, and resources
Memberships are now Tax - Deductible!
Join or RENEW now and your membership will run through 2026!
​      ​See our Membership Page

Sign the Petition to Save and Rebuild
the 1929 San Rafael Depot!

SRH Board members and volunteers collected over 100 signatures for our petition to save and rebuild the SR Depot. 
​Thanks to Amy, Jeff, Eseme, Sue and United Market!!!

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