Restored Trainmaster Building Finds Perfect Tenant

The City of Richmond’s magnificently restored Ford Point Building was just awarded one of only 15 National Preservation Honor Awards by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Published: July, 2008 

But there is another recent Richmond restoration—of a smaller, older building—that deserves mention. The structure, known as the Trainmasters Building, was built in 1903, and is the only known surviving rail yard building from the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad line.

The Trainmasters Building originally housed the Santa Fe Reading Room, which was built to provide the railroad workers with a place to expand their cultural knowledge and socialize—as well as offer an alternative to less desirable social activities of the time. The building had about 500 books along with current magazines, billiard tables and bath rooms. In 1944, the Reading Room was moved and remodeled for use by the Trainmaster, hence the title it has retained until today.

In 1976 the building was listed on the Contra Costa County Historic Resources Inventory, with its period of significance being designated as 1903-1944. In 1999, a local architecture firm issued a report to the City of Richmond stating that the building had greatly deteriorated, citing damage to the interior from water intrusion affecting turn-of-the-century interior finishes, original plaster and tongue-and-groove wood on the walls and ceilings. Many felt it was too far gone to save, and the railroad moved to demolish it. However, as a testament to the dedication and civic devotion of hundreds of volunteers lead by Richmond Councilman Tom Butt—who personally worked for over 15 years to save the building—a restoration plan was put into action.

In December of 2006, the building was finally moved to its current location at the entrance of Point Richmond at the corner of West Richmond Avenue and Dornan Drive (S. Garrard). Due to its deteriorated condition, the Trainmasters Building had to be essentially stripped down to its historic shell before repairs could begin. Working with the non-profit Point Richmond Gateway Foundation, a long list of volunteers and other helpful people worked on the renovation project, which included repairing or replacing the roof and windows, rebuilding door and window jambs, installing new period doors, performing interior and exterior trim work, and painting a number of surfaces.

After a makeover of the building shell, the perfect tenant was found in The Mechanics Bank, which poured another $1.4 million into completing the rehabilitation and constructing the Gateway Plaza. The Mechanics Bank was founded in 1905, two years after the Trainmasters Building was built. The bank’s roots are tied to the railroad industry; founder E.M. Downer once working as a railroad transfer agent. As a matter of fact, the Santa Fe Railroad, which built the Trainmasters Building, was one of the bank’s early corporate customers.

In October of 2007, the Mechanics Bank opened its new Point Richmond branch in the old Trainmasters Building. According to Eddie Downer, Chairman of the Board of Mechanics Bank and grandson of founder E.M. Downer, We’re thrilled to be in that building, it really is attractive and the location is terrific at the entry to Point Richmond. Not only is it historic in terms of the age of the building itself but it is also tied to the railroad, and of course my grandfather worked for the railroads so there is quite a connection there.

In a unique leasing arrangement, the rent paid by the bank goes directly to the Point Richmond Gateway Foundation. The Foundation then uses the funds to maintain the small Gateway Park in front of the building as well as other community needs. It is important to note that this project that preserved for adaptive reuse one of Richmond’s earliest and most significant historic structures was carried out at no cost to the City of Richmond by an innovative public-private partnership that raised $1.5 million of private capital and will continue to provide cash flow for other community projects in the future. It is a model that should be seen as an example for other cities striving to preserve their heritage, as Richmond has successfully achieved.