1090 El Camino

Planning Commission Staff Report, notes from

02-10-14

Page 1

Constructed in 1925. An addition in rear constructed in 1990 [same time as Menlo Center]

Most recently occupied by British Bankers Club (BBC)

Page 9

City’s first City Hall

Original building designed by Birge Clark [see Guide to the Birge M. Clark Architectural Drawings below.]

Page F1 Historic Resource Evaluation, prepared by Archives & Architecture, LLC, San Jose

Page F9 Historical and Architectural Information

Constructed in 1925 by Bank of Palo Alto to serve as a branch office. Bank of Palo Alto acquired by American Trust Company in late 1920s. Building operated both as a bank and a center for government through mid-1930s.

For several decades it served as City Hall, a branch of SMCo library, and housed the police department. In ‘50s and ‘60s it housed several lawyers, then later a real estate company. In 1976 building modified for BBC. BBC closed in 2012.

Page F22 Primary Record – State of California Department of Parks and Recreation (28 pages)

Page 27 (6 of 28)

Second incorporation in 1923 same boundaries as First (1874)

Final incorporation w/o Atherton or EPA in Nov 1927.

Page 28 (7 of 28)

Menlo Park Branch of Bank of Palo Alto officially opened Jan 25, 1926.

Newly-elected City Council, meeting at the Masonic Hall above Duff and Doyle Store, voted to rent space in bank building for the City Council to hold its meetings. Meetings in new chambers by end of 1927.

American Trust Company moved in 1935.

Other city officials later housed at 1040 (later 1036) Doyle St., built in mid-1930s, for about 5 years.

Dates in Svanevik’s Beyond the Gate conflict with Polk Directories.

Polk has 1040 Doyle listed as City Hall 1935-1939. In 1940 City Hall once again listed at 1090 ECR.

According to MP Library’s own history, library opened branch at Central School in 1916 with 50 books. In 1926 it moved to Kuck building and 4 years later to 1040 Doyle for 9 years, then to 1090 ECR.

Both Polk and news accounts have Library moving to 1090 ECR at end of ’27, located on mezzanine level. Lasted until 1948—including temporarily at 1036 Doyle for 5 years.

In 1957 library provided a home of its own in bungalow on Menlo Ave.

Page F29 (8 of 28)

1090 ECR again City Hall 1940-1948, housing all governmental services.

In ‘50s and early ‘60s known as the Kruse Building, serving to accommodate the Department of Contractors of the Pacific Plan Co. and a company entitled Suburban Homes, Inc.

1974 Menlo Realty and Investment Company.

1977 Opened BBC.

Menlo Center next door approved in ’88, built in ’90.

Bank of Palo Alto founded in Palo Alto in 1892. Had a branch in Menlo Park during Camp Fremont era. Became American Trust Co in late ‘20s, which then merged with Wells Fargo in 1960.

Guide to the Birge M. Clark Architectural Drawings

Maintained by Stanford University Libraries. See http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt3p3037tg/entire_text/ . Scroll down to Box Sc10:

231 Bank Building for the Menlo Park branch of the Bank of Palo Alto 1925-04-02

Scope and Content Note

Note

Note: The drawings, sketches, etc are not online.

Last updated: 28 March 2015