Here’s how downtown SLO got an art museum next to Mission Plaza in 1960s
Cars and pedestrians have long been at odds in downtown San Luis Obispo.
The creation of Mission Plaza, where vehicles generally aren’t allowed, was considered heresy to those faithful folks who see automobiles as divine.
Mission Plaza is taken for granted these days as a great idea, but business owners were terrified of closing off that section of Monterey Street in the 1960s.
A 1964 concept plan for the plaza published by the city represented a compromise between those who wanted to close the street and those who preferred preserving parking. It included 12 parking spaces where the outdoor amphitheater is today, six spaces next to Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and four spaces where Luna Red restaurant now has tables.
Planners also had to figure out what to do about the Broad Street office building at the corner of Mission Plaza that, at the time, housed a chiropractor, architect and developer’s offices.
It’s not clear from The Tribune’s archives who designed the building. It could have been architect Ethan Jennings Jr., who worked on several high-profile mid-century buildings in the area, most notably the Courthouse Annex on Monterey Street as a member of John Badgley’s firm.
The city proposed that the building, which eventually became the home of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, get an expansion and a Mission Lite makeover.
Some San Luis Obispo City Council members complained about the $34,500 price tag for the land and building, although that seems like a bargain today.
They apparently didn’t remember the old adage about price being dependent on location, location, location.
This unbylined story ran on the front page of the Telegram-Tribune Saturday Feb 11, 1967.
Council okays art center
The City Council voted 3-2 Friday to team up with the San Luis Obispo Art Association in buying a Broad Street office building for conversion to an art center.
For $7,500, the city will become owner of the land within the Mission Plaza Block and for about $27,000, will acquire the building.
Mrs. George McMeen, association president, said the purchase, when completed, will bring a revamped art center project much nearer reality for the community.
The building, at 1012 Broad near the Monterey corner, will be remodeled to a Spanish style and a $20,000 gallery addition built on. This would reduce the total project’s cost from $80,000 to $47,000. The council Thursday called Friday’s special session as a result of this.
Art Association and city negotiators are expected to complete arrangements by Tuesday with property owner Herbert Grisingher. They said he had given them only until then to give a definite yes or no to his terms.
Councilmen Frank Gallagher and Donald Q. Miller objected that the land cost to the city was too high – $7.50 a square foot as compared to $5.50 for the Cornet store land.
Miller also said the issue should be presented at a public hearing.
Councilmen Arthur Spring and Emmons Blake, who helped negotiate the plan, joined Mayor Clell Whelchel in approving the purchase. Specific city funds must still be appropriated for the sale.
Mrs. McMeen, who said the new plan has approval of association directors, said the building can be remodeled in Spanish style and the total project can fit into Mission Plaza.
Another $20,000 to build the main gallery could complete the project. Under the old plan, $53,000 would remain to be raised by community subscription.
The present building tenants, Dr. C.N. Otto, a chiropractor; Ethan Jenning Jr. and Associates, architects, and Johnson Highlands developer Leonard Blaser, apparently will be given six months notice.
Mayor Whelchel said the city would have to condemn, purchase and tear down some buildings within the block for Mission Plaza. But here the building will get good use, he added.
Art Spring said the city will get back some space from the corner land it leased to the association for $1 a year. Buying the same building and land later – as called for in the Mission Plaza plan, – would cost much more money, he added.
Downtown Association president J.B. McDonald, who Monday night wanted city negotiations with Higuera property owners held behind closed doors, said the public should get more word on the art project before the council members approved it. Whelchel, who Monday wanted such meetings public, voted to go along with the plan despite the fact no public hearing was held.
