When Dorna Andersen looks at the old brick buildings that congregate at “The Junction,” she doesn”t see structures dating back more than a century.
She sees the future.
A third-generation Chicoan, Andersen owns most of the buildings on the block flanked by Eighth and Ninth streets, Salem Street and Broadway.
Primarily brick, the buildings once held an array of businesses, from a bar and hotel to a village smithy and even a brothel.
Some buildings are empty. Others are in use by busy enterprises that appreciate the historic environment of The Junction — that quadrant where stagecoaches in the 1800s delivered passengers and goods to the bustling south side of downtown. That was the westerly end for the supply route between the Sacramento Valley and Idaho mines.
Andersen would like the area to bustle again, but she sees a new face for the block — one reflecting the arts. Her vision includes artists” lofts, working studios where the public can watch work under way, and perhaps a small jazz club.
“Yes, I have a dream for the area. My mother told me if there weren”t dreams, there wouldn”t be reality,” said Andersen, a retired high school art and PE instructor.
Andersen was intrigued when Fresno artist Reza Assemi suggested during the January Tri County Economic Forecast Conference here that art and revitalization could go hand in hand as an economic stimulant.
Assemi has done several projects in Fresno that meld old buildings — often brick warehouses like Andersen”s — with low-cost art studios and art-based businesses to rev up a blighted area and create tourism revenue.
Others share her vision. Local 1078 Gallery, a nonprofit gallery on West Fifth Street, is eyeing a 2,300-square-foot space Andersen owns on Broadway.
And local welding artist David Brown is using much of Andersen”s grandfather”s and father”s welding and smithy tools in the building near Eighth and Salem streets.
He is making the ornate doors that will clad the opening to another business space.
Andersen”s grandfather, Andrew Andersen, came to Chico from Denmark in the 1920s, establishing Andersen Welding and Blacksmithing on the block. He serviced the wagons and stagecoaches that came to The Junction, welding and horseshoeing.
Her father, Nels Andersen, also took up the smithing trade, but his customers were more likely farmers and manufacturers who needed machinery repaired.
The Andersen daughter grew up among the smithy fire and sparks, picking up the trade from her father. She considers it an art form as much as a basic trade. The Chico native and 1958 graduate of Chico High School says she can point out decorative touches on downtown buildings that were made by her father.
“He was an artist at heart. He was always busy working on things, like fireplace tools and gates.”
She also remembers as a child, peering from the restaurant side of what”s now Bustolini”s Deli under the bar”s swinging saloon-type doors. The building was originally home to Chico Brewery. Apparently brewery owner Charles Croissant bought the block from John Bidwell in 1874 for $1, according to historical records.
Andersen believes the hotel was called the “Old Broadway Hotel,” and the bar was the “Bank Club.”
Andersen has a creative side, having taught art classes for some of her 30-year career as a high school instructor locally and in the Bay Area.
Her business card touts not only her traits, but a taste of her humor, too:
“Dorna Andersen
potter/artist
property manager
retired?”
Now that she owns a brick corner of the world, she appreciates the look and legacy of her holdings, and wants to do more for both income and aesthetic reasons.
“I”m the sole owner of all this, and I”m trying to make more of what”s here,” said Andersen, during a recent interview inside Bustolini”s restaurant at Eighth Street and Broadway.
Behind Andersen, a full-wall mural shows the history of that corner captured in a then-and-now portrait.
Painted by Laine Wiesemann of Chico, the mural shows a black-and-white half with Chico Brewery in prominent display juxtaposed with a full-color slice of current businesses.
“I want to be a part of downtown, and have people enjoy this area, too,” said Andersen.
Plans she has for remodeling the exterior of the 820 Broadway building are currently under city review. She has two spaces there of about 2,300 square feet. One side has had some nibbles.
Carla Resnick, 1078 Gallery”s executive director, sees Andersen”s inspiration as well. The gallery, now on Fifth Street, would like to leave its high-maintenance, student-filled area.
“The space that Dorna has is very cool. It would be larger, and that would enable us to be more flexible, have more types of exhibitions,” said Resnick, adding that the gallery has expanded into musical programs and entertainment as well.
1078 Gallery reaches out to audiences of all ages and cultural appreciation.
“It would be a much better location for us,” Resnick said.
Nothing”s settled yet.
The gallery”s board has been talking with Andersen, who feels positive that an agreement can be reached.
Before a move occurs, the gallery would need an intensive capital campaign.
“You can send checks right now to 738 W. Fifth St. 95928,” chants Resnick.
“We would need to have money for improvements and a year of rent. That”s a big capital campaign.”
Of the brick-flanked block, Resnick said, “That could be a cultural hub. There are other communities that have taken old areas and turned them into artist areas. It”s been a big tourism draw.”
Art and culture is a measure of a good society, she said.
One link in the block that has fallen apart is local glass artist Rick Satava”s efforts to buy the former Flowserve building.
Satava had made an offer on the building at West Ninth and Broadway, hoping to move his art glass studio there, from its current residential-surrounded Wall Street location.
Satava said an environmental problem with the property killed the deal.
A preliminary environmental review showed underground tanks the company said it didn”t know about. Satava said Flowserve wouldn”t remove the tanks until after the sale closed, and he wasn”t willing to take that kind of risk.
“Those environmental concerns were not addressed. I wasn”t willing to close escrow until that was addressed.”
Satava regrets that the deal didn”t work.
“It would have been a good fit there.”
Andersen would have liked to see Satava”s studios there as well.
“It would have been perfect.”
Andersen hopes others in the community might be prompted to come forward, not only artists but patrons or investors.
She is looking for outside financial assistance, knowing anything dealing with old structures will be expensive.
“People think I”m rich. I”m not.”
Andersen said she has not sought city financial assistance for the remodeling because of California”s prevailing wage law. Whenever public funds are used in California to help a project, prevailing wages must be issued.
That would add exorbitant costs to her project, Andersen said.
Her current efforts are focusing on the remodeling at 820 Broadway, and trying to find another partner tenant for the other 2,300-square-foot space adjacent to where the 1078 Gallery is looking.
Dotted with windows, the building is not brick, but has the traits shared with other brick ones. Andersen”s redesign of the front doorway would make it similar to others on the block. Located there are Iron Mountain Leather, Dimensions hair salon and Bustolini”s.
When she has a chance, Andersen talks to others about her ideas, finding support of what she”s trying to accomplish.
“I want to create an art center, to become more of a part of downtown Chico.”
Andersen can be reached at 519-7094 or e-mailed at dornand@sbcglobal.net.
Business editor Laura Urseny can be reached at 896-7756 or lurseny@chicoer.com.
