It took me awhile to figure out what this old restored building was at the new Avalon Morrison Park complex. Located off Stockton between Cinnabar and Julian Street in the Garden Alameda neighborhood.
It kind of looks like a greenhouse that would house the mail boxes for all these apartments, except that the roof doesn't let sunshine in, and there is no sign of any snail mail boxes being built inside.
The problem is that this "historic building" as it is called out on their apartment map is missing its contextual clues, drive up service, pumps, garage monkeys, signage, etc. Hopefully more of the historical design and detail is still forthcoming, at least the promised historical plaque!
A little research uncovered that this is Don Bocci's 1929 Mobil Oil station that sat at 395 Stockton and Cinnabar. It was moved over to the Julian street entrance as part of this 4.4 acre, 3 story, 250 unit complex with parking for 400.
It kind of looks like a greenhouse that would house the mail boxes for all these apartments, except that the roof doesn't let sunshine in, and there is no sign of any snail mail boxes being built inside.
The problem is that this "historic building" as it is called out on their apartment map is missing its contextual clues, drive up service, pumps, garage monkeys, signage, etc. Hopefully more of the historical design and detail is still forthcoming, at least the promised historical plaque!
A little research uncovered that this is Don Bocci's 1929 Mobil Oil station that sat at 395 Stockton and Cinnabar. It was moved over to the Julian street entrance as part of this 4.4 acre, 3 story, 250 unit complex with parking for 400.
While I wish this complex wasn't all rental and had kept some of the space for small businesses, I do appreciate that Avalon has moved beyond the gated and locked style of their neighboring properties and have kept public walkway access available to the neighborhood. It is a welcome relief to the monster Avalon Alameda that requires you to walk completely around the complex.
Let's hope for the neighborhood's sake they keep up on the maintenance, but then again with rents starting at $2,400 for a one bedroom I don't see the residents demanding anything less.
Let's hope for the neighborhood's sake they keep up on the maintenance, but then again with rents starting at $2,400 for a one bedroom I don't see the residents demanding anything less.
I kind of wish the developers had been more inspired to incorporate saving this local treasure into something more useful. I would love to see an old fashion gas pump designed as a modern day electric car charging station with a charging spot right in front.
Maybe the old gas station could be repurposed as a coffee shop or florist. Even a nerd bus stop for Google and Apple employees using Royal Coach bus services on Stockton would be something. To see it empty and not apart of the neighborhoods happenings seems a waste of an otherwise great space.
Maybe the old gas station could be repurposed as a coffee shop or florist. Even a nerd bus stop for Google and Apple employees using Royal Coach bus services on Stockton would be something. To see it empty and not apart of the neighborhoods happenings seems a waste of an otherwise great space.