Spanish reflections on the Broadway Corridor

Out on the Northeast end of 24th Street and Broadway sits the Sterling Cleaner's building, a unique example of Spanish Eclectic architecture on the Broadway commercial corridor near the Curtis and Land Park neighborhoods. Just down the street* from both Sierra School (now Sierra II) and the Tower Theater, Sterling Cleaner's has been partially rebuilt from an arson that took place in the late 1990's. I believe that the outer walls of the building, upper industrial windows, mid beams and tiles are still original. I also have a faint recollection of large light-bringing picture frame front windows and a squeaking front door... but I am not sure if my memories are accurate as I have not been able to find any pre-fire pictures of the front of the building online.

























Here you can see the lofty industrial windows and the dual mid-beams that denote the split between the dry cleaner's and the cafe business (now there) into two separate establishments. As I recall from my childhood though, I think the building used to house only the Sterling Cleaners itself as a total whole. Thankfully, the bones of the structure were protected from demolition, as they represent not only a piece of neighborhood historical architecture but also quite a few girlhood memories for me. (Not that the large vinyl hanging signs do much for the exterior aesthetics either... good to know FAX is still an important form of communication in 2009.)


















I totally remember my mom being upset at the thought of the building being torn down and replaced with some box mall building after the fire. As a self proclaimed "tile freak" she didn't want the structure itself to go, though interestingly she didn't remember whether the tile on the facade was original or not. You can see the basic chevron type pattern above. This is unique as compared to other tile patterns around the area. The tile is repeated across the front of the building with the sea green tile top-ends and peach colored pieces of varying shades also extending to the base of the structure.























I have many a memory of the weekly trip's to Sterling, cruising in my mom's blue '80 Mercedes after being picked up from Brookfield School. Less interested in the Spanish Colonial architecture at the time and far more interested in the penny gum ball machine (or was it a dime machine) inside the front door. I do remember standing outside...being fascinated with the dual triangular like tower chimney tops that I can now see speak to the geometric pattern of the tile. I suppose in the end... this building just has a different feel than many of the other Spanish Colonial Revival businesses and residences in town and that is why I remember it....the square shape, the dualities, the geometric nature... all of it feels a bit more Moorish in tone.









* Mind you...the Sterling Cleaners sits next to a modern Taco Bell...however...this used to be an awesome vintage Taco Bell in a 1960's mission style architecture...complete with multi-colored flashing sombrero sign, mission bell and fire pit.