Modern / Fresno

Fresno County Courthouse. 

There are so many great examples of mid-century modern architecture in the Downtown Fresno area. 

The government and business leaders of that era did a commendable job of investing in the infrastructure, art and 

architecture of their city.  They were really ahead of the curve back then.

Stan Bitters ceramic mural on the Midland Savings & Loan building by Architect Eugene E. Hougham

Hey, what happened to that fountain?  

The building is now a law office, figures.

Bitters '66

I'm not sure what's going on with the construction at the Pilibos Building at 830 Van Ness Ave.

Stan Bitters/Hans Sumpf did the facade.  There is an image pre-plywood here.  

Thankfully the building is on the Local Register of Historic Resources so they can't mess with it too much.

Here's the paperwork and background data.

Van Ness is the street adjacent to the Fulton Mall, where people are talking about doing some really lame stuff.

More on that later.  In the meantime watch this video. It sure doesn't seem like the current  Fresno city leaders have seen it. 

Fresno: A City Reborn - A 1968 documentary by Victor Gruen Associates

More on Victor Gruen can be found here,