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Historic Resources Board weighs preservation options for deteriorating building at 3438 Soledad
Summary
City staff told the Historic Resources Board the long-vacant building at 3438 Soledad has been red-tagged after a recent break-in and storm damage; staff said emergency repairs are being solicited while the board emphasized preserving the east-facing façade and removing key artifacts before any demolition.
The Salinas Historic Resources Board discussed the condition and potential future of the building at 3438 Soledad after staff reported the structure was recently broken into, further damaged by storms and formally red-tagged as unsafe.
Grant Leonard, planning manager for the city, told the board the historic-structures report (included in the board packet) concluded the building qualifies as potentially historic under state and federal criteria but also documented significant structural and cosmetic deterioration after roughly 40 years of vacancy. Leonard said the building was boarded and is currently secured but that new gaps and spreading cracks—especially along the south-facing wall—have been observed since the break-in. He said staff is soliciting quotes and requests for proposals for emergency stabilization work but that “depending on the deterioration … we may need to consider demolition of the building.”
The board requested that, if demolition becomes necessary, staff prioritize removal and preservation of character-defining elements on the public-facing east façade and salvage any historic artifacts identified in the report. Several board members and commenters emphasized following the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and the consultant TEF Design’s recommendations, including documenting and, where feasible, retaining or recreating the façade in any future mixed-use development.
Board members also asked whether partial demolition is possible; Leonard said he would raise that point with the city’s chief building official. Board members noted that the building’s construction is mixed—poured concrete on the west and north walls and wood on the south and east—and that the majority of visible damage is concentrated on the south wall.
Several board members said the east-facing façade is the key element that connects the property to the street and neighborhood and urged staff and the project architects to explore options that preserve that visual presence, whether by stabilizing the existing façade or by incorporating a reconstructed façade into future development. Leonard said TF Design’s scope for the larger mixed-use project contemplates either retaining the existing façade or recreating it so the future building retains the same front appearance.
Leonard also told the board the chief building official would likely be the ultimate decision-maker if immediate public-safety demolition were required, and he committed to keeping the board apprised as emergency quotes and assessments come in. No formal action or vote on a demolition or stabilization contract occurred at the meeting.
Ending
Board members asked staff to return with updates and any timeline for demolition or emergency repairs so the board can provide further guidance before irreversible work begins.
