Gordon Building - Napa, CA
Posted by: 
saopaulo1
N 38° 17.917 W 122° 17.209
10S E 562361 N 4239188
The Gordon Building is in downtown Napa.
Waymark Code: WMGYT1
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/24/2013
Views: 2
From the NRHP: "The Gordon Building presents a highly unusual decorative commercial facade on downtown Napa's principal shopping street. Spanish Colonial Revival styling with strong Spanish. Renaissance details are evident in the glazed terra cotta siding and cast molded and applied floral detailing. The two story building retains its architectural integrity although some alterations have been made at the first floor level. Located across the street from two other significant older buildings (one of which, the Napa Register Building, is on the National Register), the Gordon Building forms an important edge and transition to newer commercial buildings to its immediate east.
The two-story building was completed in two sections. The major section, facing First Street, was completed in 1929. Its period of significance is tied to its architectural facade. The dominant building material of this first phase of construction is a sand colored glazed terra cotta over brick. Polychromatic ornamental floral terra cotta detailing is found in horizontal courses at the second level and eaves. The same floral designs are found as capitals to the two story pilasters which originally served as divisions to the storefronts and lobby. Colonnettes create an intermediate level between the first and second floors and are also found separating the sections of the tripart arched windows. A simple cornice is topped by a tile parapet trim." (
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