How does an Historic Building Disappear?
It seems after many conversations all the way to the state level, noone really knows what happened to the 20,000 sq. ft. historically registered building next to the Hamilton Theater in the photo above called the Non-Commissioned Officer's (NCO) Club (registered with the Library of Congress; HABS No. CA-2398-AD) from 1994-1997. Rumors say that it was an eyesore and was torn down; others say fire and structurally compromised. But, we can't find the details. In the picture above when the building was handed over to the City of Novato, it looked a little distressed - but nothing that could not be dealt with.
The Back Story
The NCO Club and mess hall, 130 feet wide by 135 feet long, was the scene of much of the social activity on base for a great number of its residents. Built in 1933, the dining hall facilities, card rooms, dance floor, and band stand were on the first floor, while the club operations, including offices, were housed upstairs on the second floor. It was the destination of entertainment and to blow off a little steam from wartime life.
During its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s, the NCO Club was a major social center. Fran Kretz, stationed here during World War II, was with the medical staff and worked in the NCO Club. She recalled the anguish of young men losing their pay checks in poker games and to the slot machines at the club. She and her husband, Ray, also related that this club was nicer than the officers' ctub, more elaborately decorated, with more bands, dances, and events. This was attributed to the fact that there were more NCOs than officers, increasing the revenue of the club {Kretz 1993).
Renovations
A storage room was added to the kitchen area in 1957. Major work in 1961
included rehabilitating the dining hall, kitchen, and serving line and installing new kitchen equipment and counters. The most dramatic changes occurred in 1970. In this year all existing bars and associated plumbing in the dining area were removed, along with flooring, doors, toilet enclosures, decorative entrance, hardwood wainscoting, and bathroom fixtures. In place of these items, a new wood floor and landing was built. Other new features included concrete stairs with decorative iron rails, new shingle flooring, a suspended acoustical tile ceiling, and three new bathrooms.
25.45.010 Procedures for Demolition of Historic Site
The following procedures shall be applied to all historic structures listed on the historic register and those structures listed on the historic inventory.
(A) Demolition permits are subject to compliance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act and Title 14 of this code.
(B) Applicants for demolition of historic buildings which appear on the city’s historic inventory or register or as required in this chapter shall make application for a demolition permit with the department of community development.
(C) Upon receipt of the application to demolish, the department of community development shall, within thirty days, solicit input from the heritage committee prior to scheduling the request for public hearing before the design review board. Public notice for the design review board hearing shall be subject to the provisions of Section 25.05.065, except that if a coastal development permit is required pursuant to Chapter 25.07, noticing for that type of permit shall instead be carried out through the public notice provisions of Section 25.07.014.
(D) Design Review Board Action. After the appropriate environmental review, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the design review board shall receive a recommendation from the heritage committee and shall address and mitigate the cumulative impacts of allowing the demolition of structures that contribute to the overall neighborhood character or streetscape, but which may be individually insignificant. After conducting the public hearing, the design review board shall take the following action:
Approve permit, subject to a waiting period of up to ninety calendar days to consider relocation and/or documentation.
(1) During the waiting period, the applicant shall advertise the proposed demolition in a paper of general circulation in the city once a month for the first two months following the design review board’s hearing. Such advertisement shall be one-quarter page in size and shall include a photograph of the structure, the address at which the structure proposed for demolition is located, information as to how arrangements can be made for relocation and the date after which a demolition permit may be issued. Evidence of this publication must be submitted to the department of community development prior to issuance of a demolition permit.
(2) Any application for relocation of the structure shall be filed within the specified waiting period as determined by the design review board.
(3) The design review board may extend the waiting period up to one hundred eighty days if it determines that relocation is imminent.
(4) During the continuance period, the heritage committee may investigate relocation of the building or modification of the building for future uses in a way which preserves the architectural and historical integrity of the building.
(5) During the continuance period, the applicant may pursue plan approval.
(E) Findings. Prior to the issuance of a demolition permit, the design review board shall make one of the following findings:
(1) The action proposed is consistent with the purposes of the ordinance and the historic resources element of the general plan; or
(2) There are no reasonable alternatives to demolition. (Ord. 1577 § 11, 2013; Ord. 1555 § 11, 2011; Ord. 1458 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1179 § 5, 1989).
Seeking Information
Does anyone have any information about this building? Please share. The Hamilton Arts Foundation is suggesting we rebuild this building, that was formerly adjacent to the Hamilton Theater, and make it into an experiential music museum for all to enjoy with a coffe shop, gift shop, historic displays, and music education center with meeting rooms and recording studio.