Silberstein Building

Originally built in 1909, the Silberstein Building in downtown Chico, California was a crumbling mess that had been sectioned off at one time as low cost apartments.

By the time we were called in for a top-down renovation, the condition of the building had deteriorated to the point of the upper floor (including the apartments), had been closed due to safety concerns.

During renovations, the exterior of the building had to remain intact, which is a basic requirement to listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Preserving the history of this building was not only important and beneficial to the community, but provided tax credits to the client. Finding a midpoint between historic preservation and architectural appeal was a challenge we happily accepted.

Floors, staircases, and supporting walls were preserved throughout the interior of the building, and the rest was carefully removed and replaced. The interior space was redesigned, and an elevator was added. The only additions to the exterior were awnings over the building entrances. The end result was an updated version of this beautiful historic structure that ourselves, the client and the community were very pleased with.