Fresno preservation panel finds 755 East Shaw (Fashion Fair anchor) not eligible for historic registers

At its evening meeting, the Fresno Historic Preservation Commission voted 5–1 to find that the anchor building at 755 East Shaw Avenue — part of Fashion Fair Mall and most recently occupied by Forever 21 — is not eligible for listing on the Fresno local register, the California Register or the National Register of Historic Places.

The decision followed a staff presentation and an updated historic resource evaluation by Page & Turnbull, which concluded the three-story late-modern commercial building (built 1969–1970) does not meet criteria for individual designation. "Based on the evidence… the building does not appear to be individually eligible for local or state designation," consultant Christina Dicus Brookes told commissioners, citing extensive alterations (entrance remodels, window-wall infill) and the fact the design was a standardized model used at multiple locations.

The commission's ruling matters because an eligibility finding would affect future environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and could constrain design changes later in the redevelopment process. Andy Greenwood, vice president of development for Macerich, told the commission the property owner has an executed agreement with Dick's Sporting Goods to redevelop the site as a "Dick's House of Sport," and said the team is "actively devoting capital and significant resources" toward an opening targeted for 2027 — a timeline Greenwood said could slip if the project faces delays.

Several commissioners pushed back on the consultant's narrow parcel-level approach, arguing the building's cultural and community associations with Fashion Fair and Fresno retail history merited broader consideration. "It does have significance for the community," one commissioner said, citing personal experience and the mall's role in local life. Others pointed to the consultant's comparative analysis showing many contemporaneous examples across the region and to the building's loss of exterior integrity through later modifications.

Public comment at the hearing was limited; Cecily Barclay, land use counsel for the applicant team, said she had worked on many mall projects statewide and that "I have never seen a mall designated as a whole as a historic resource," urging the commission to rely on the consultant's professional conclusion.

After discussion and competing motions, the commission adopted the motion that the property "is not eligible for listing on the local, state or national registers," with a roll-call vote of five in favor and one opposed. The commission chair and staff clarified that this determination is an eligibility finding only; a separate nomination and city council adoption process would be required to place a property on the local register, and any listing later in that formal process could impose constraints intended to preserve the appearance and integrity of a designated resource.

Votes at a glance: the commission voted to determine 755 East Shaw not eligible (motion approved 5–1). Separately, the commission voted to adopt the City of Fresno Certified Local Government (CLG) 2024–25 annual report by voice vote.

What happens next: staff noted the eligibility finding does not itself prevent future development. If a property owner or the commission pursues a formal designation, the nomination would return to the commission and — if advanced — to the city council for final action. Macerich and potential tenants retain the ability to pursue redevelopment options, subject to any future review triggered by CEQA or local designation requirements.

Key details: the building at 755 East Shaw was constructed in 1969–1970 as one of three similar Broadway/Weinstock's anchor stores; Page & Turnbull's final evaluation (submitted March 17) found the building lacks the distinctive architectural integrity or association required for individual listing; the applicant reported Forever 21 closed in April 2025 and that the site's upper floors have been vacant for years. The commission also discussed Section 106 (federal National Historic Preservation Act) processes and the difference between federal (Section 106) and local/CEQA eligibility scopes.

The commission moved on to other business and adjourned at 7:31 p.m.