The Architectural Preservation Foundation of Contra Costa County is holding a rally in Martinez today that’s meant to boost support for saving the old jail building downtown that the county has slated for demolition.
The rally will take place at 1 p.m. on the steps of the former courthouse at 625 Court St.
The county Board of Supervisors voted on Sept. 7 to tear down the building as part of a $58 million dollar contract it awarded Webcor Construction. The contract includes demolishing the old county administration building next to the jail and building a new three-story complex for county offices.
Preservationists are protesting the demolition of the old jail, which was built in 1903. County officials say its design precludes it from other uses and its hazardous materials, like asbestos, makes renovation problematic, as does the cost. Some of the materials from the jail would be preserved in a historical display at the new site.
According to a news release, the architectural foundation wants the jail to be “saved for a historic and justice-themed restaurant with historic pictures and artifacts displayed throughout and a video experience for visitors to learn of cultural injustices, like the Port Chicago explosion and trials.”
They also want nearby open space, with a town clock, black iron seating, historic lamp poles, and brick pathways.
County officials have previously said preservationists haven’t shown a viable plan, or the funding, to save the jail.
Abatement and demolition of the old administration building is scheduled to begin in November, and be finished by September 2022. The frame of the new building would be complete by December 2022, with completion of the exterior being done by May 2023. The project would be completely finished by April 2024.
21 comments
Sorry, but it’s an Eyesore and Never fit the rest of the city.
Where were you 30 years ago when all of the Victorian homes were demolished for the “new” jail?
If you want to improve quality of life in Martinez, start with demanding that at least One of the Railroad crossings be made into a quiet zone.
A quiet zone for a train crossing? Hahaha
I guess you don’t know about the pdf from 2009 impact study – it’s found on the cities website.
They already stated that something should be done, but hope people will just forget about it.
Also, the trains blow horn 4x per crossing as required by FRA, Unless there’s an additional crossing gate = then it can be a quiet zone.
Of course, there’s always the nimrod train crews who abuse and decide to honk non-stop.
Time to be “Progressive” like Point Richmond, Petaluma and now Silicon Valley who have all installed quiet zones.
@ Anon The “New Jail” opened 40 years ago (1981) but I get your point. While the preservationists would lead you to believe that it is possible to convert the old building into a usable and profitable building I can tell you from personal and institutional knowledge of the facility that it is just not possible.
I will just say that several years ago I was in Martinez in December when two trains passed from opposite directions. After they passed, one train gave the rhythmically distinctive, though monotoned, “shave and a haircut” and his air horn. The second train, by now several hundred yards away, responded with the “Jingle Bells” rhythm. First, both engineers had some swing in their wrist when they yanked that cable. The tunes were unmistakable even though limited to one note. Second, I’m sure those toots were out of spec, but out the thousands of people forced to hear those train horns, I can’t imagine I was the only one who thought that was the best thing ever. I am still deeply upset that the Salvation Army brass doesn’t get to play Christmas tunes in front of Target anymore.
Anon
You must not have lived in Martinez long. I lived in various places near downtown for almost 20 years. After the first couple of weeks I didn’t hear the train anymore unless I chose to listen for it. I know people that have lived in Martinez in the hills above the trains most of their lives and never complained about train noise. The trains are part of the towns charm. It is always “newbies” that want to make changes or complain about how things are and have been for over 100 years. If you don’t like the sound of trains you picked the wrong part of town to live in
Tear the dump down!
Why not use the facility for living quarters? Seriously folks, are our “leaders” so blind? Its got everything, and ready to go.
J.L. Guess you studied the issue. Only thing wrong with the structure is…rust, bad plumbing, bad electrical, asbestos, lead paint, toxic mold. However with millioms of dollars its an easy fix. Just gut the interior, get a new roof get an earthquake fix, and ect…ect ..seriously
Got that right Martinezmike
And don’t forget the former deputies that spent years working in there that died from asbestosis. A very good friends father was one of them. What a horrible way to die.
First of all, thanks for the input. Martinez has a marine climate, so black mold and bad electrical is not a surprise. I guess focussing on the homeless and housing debacles only, will not solve ALL the needs of this overpopulated Bay Area.
Still I don’t apologize for tossing in an excellent idea. One of our genius writers may have already been inspired. It is a shame to demolish a salvageable structure when we are in such dire need. Indeed I shutter to think what could happen if 8 or 9 decades ( 100+?) of California buildings were targeted for demolition for the same reasoning.
As for the asbestos law suits that have been going on for decades, terrible stories. One of tragic ones is, asbestos is mainly a danger when airborn, such as during installation and, demolition. Not to downplay long ailments. Not my intention at all.
Now, on to chem trails and global polution/weather. The United States has been colluding with China about seeding clouds. It is not a stretch to understand the increase in fires, the so called global warming, drought. Coupled with our over run borders…the list is long. Which is why I value the input. Research requires data. Not a narrative.
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Was an architectural/historical evaluation foe the jail building prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)?
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Did the Board of Supervisors deem thru adopted findings and acceptance of the environmental analysis that the building was not in any way historically or architecturally significant?
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@Justifiable languor- worked for the SO for over 20 yrs, the old jail is cool but is not at all safe for anyone to occupy even temporarily. Full of asbestos and lead and other carcinogens so much so that the only option is to tear it down.
Fred
The place also had no real windows so the inmate could harass the female employees coming and going from the Auditor-Controllers office and the Treasurer-Tax Collector. There was an escapee hiding in the car of one of the women that worked at the Auditors. I would say he wasn’t very bright but then again he was in jail. By the time I went to work at the Auditors in the mid 80’s the new jail had opened.
I would love to know where the preservationist are going to get the money to bring the building up to code so it can be a restaurant.
They seem to have a pretty big case of the “We Wants” but it doesn’t appear the have a clue on how to raise the multi millions it will take to do what they “want”.
Good ole days when Jail is a place you didn’t want to go.
Do believe back then it was a deterrence to criminal activity.
Turn old Jail into a “Unique Bed n Breakfast Experience”.
There’s got to some retired Deputy Sheriffs who would like to help recreate
“Good Ole Days”, purely for educational reasons you understand.
Would make money for the County ! ! !
Use it to house the homeless.
Don’t even have to remodel it.
That is a very, very ugly building. Tear it down
Wasn’t part of the movie “Love and the Midnight Auto Supply” filmed inside the that jail?
G-Man there was a short lived series (2 episodes?) in the mid 80s titled Fortune Dane starring Carl Withers that was filmed in the jail. A co-worker of mine was used as an extra because he was one of the few people who knew how to operate the mechanical cell doors. His name was Dennis and after his appearance I always referred to him as “Fortune Den”.
Sounds like you ran a tight ship.
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