A. Pantages/Warnors Theater – 1928

1400 Fulton Street — Moorish Revival, B. Marcus Priteca, Architect.

This wonderfully preserved theatre is a window into the so-called "Golden Age" of Hollywood, and one of Fresno's most remarkable buildings. Designed for the Pantages movie house chain by Scottish born architect B. Marcus Priteca, it was designed to accommodate both vaudeville and silent films. One of its outstanding features of the building is the Robert Morton organ, the only one of its kind in existence today.  It hosts a variety of concerts and community events to this day. A true picture palace, it feature a Moorish Revival exterior, but also has Baroque, Rococo and Itallian Renaissance Revival elements. Its ornate interior is topped by a magnificent domed ceiling which is remarkably well preserved in its original condition. The theatre seats 2,100 people.

In 1929 the theatre was sold to Warner Brothers and became the Warner's Theatre, and later Warner's Cinerama. When Warner Brothers sold the theatre in 1967, the "e" became an "o" and it has been known as the Warnors Theatre ever since. In 1973, the theatre was purchased by local businessman Richard Caglia, in order to save it (and the Robert Morton organ) from the wrecking ball (the city had planned on tearing down the building for a parking lot). Since then the facility has played host to some of the worlds top live performers, and continues to host live music. The theatre is now part of the non-profit Warnors Center for the Performing Arts. In 2007, the theatre was the subject of an edition of the public television program "California's Gold." It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

B. San Joaquin Light & Power; PG&E; and International Trade Center – 1923

1401 Fulton Street — Classic Revival, R.F. Felchlin and Raymond R. Shaw, Architects

One of the crown jewels of Fresno's impressive collection of early 20th century mid rise office buildings, the San Joaquin Power and Light Building was construced in 1923/1924. Built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, it is a visual anchor for the north end of the Central Business District and the Fulton Mall. Graced with an ornate terra-cotta facade, and a marble clad lobby, it was originally home to the Fresno area's primary electric utlity company, which was later absorbed by Pacific Gas and Electric. Today it is home to a number of offices, with special events held in the grand lobby area, and is known as the International Trade Center. When new, the building featured an elaborate exterior lighting scheme, with multi colored spotlights, and was capped by a giant neon sign. The building is currently being restored, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

C. Brix Building – 1922, rehabilitated 1979

1221 Fulton Mall — Classic Revival, Eugene Mathewson, Architect, Robert Von Ezdorf, Designer. Rehab Edwin S. Darden & Associates.

H.H. Brix, a German immigrant, came to homestead in the Coalinga area. The Coalinga oil boom was on, and the black gold proved more profitable than homesteading. He built several buildings and a beautiful home in Fresno. This Brix Building was built by his heirs after death. Another building on the Fulton Mall also shares the Brix name, the Brix Block building, located next to the Helm Building. For many years the Brix Building  was home to department stores and the Equitable Life Insurance Company. Today it is home to the Fresno County Health Department. It was remodled in 1979.

D. Mattei/Guarantee Savings Building – 1921

1171 Fulton Mall — Classical Revival, Eugene Mathewson, Architect, Robert Von Ezdordf, Designer, Remodel by Robert Stevens Associates.

The first building on this property was the Fresno Water System in 1876, and there have been important buildings at this corner ever since that time. In 1916, Andrew Mattei, Italian-Swiss winemaker, bought the property for $55,000 and spent $1,200,000 on the current building which included a basement water well, direct-current steam generators, and tunnels to the Andella (Crest theatre site), Kinema Theatre, Brix Building and Fresno Hotel. The building was designed by architect Eugene Mathewson. Mattei died in 1933. The bank foreclosed on the property and it had many owners until Guarantee Savings bought it in 1961. They remodeled it and unfortunately destroyed some of the classical details. If you look at it from the alley, you will see the original classical columns and capitals on the exterior of the first floor. For years, Fresno residents have looked to the electric sign below giant "G" at the top of this building to see the time and temperature. For much the the 1990's the building sat vacant, but in the early 2000's it was renovated, complete with a state of the art fuel cell power plant (utlizing Mattei's orginal water well). It is now home to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Center Fresno office. It is listed on the Local Register of Historic Places.

E. Griffith-McKenzie/Helm Building – 1914

1111 Fulton Mall — Classical Revival, George W. Kelham, Architect.

In 1914, Samuel N. Griffith, a real estate promoter, and the heirs of William H. McKenzie, built this ten-story building at the corner of Fulton and Mariposa. It was the first steel frame "hi-rise" building on Fulton Street. In 1936, the building was upgraded with new air conditioning and elevators, and was renamed to reflect its new owner, Frank M. Helm. With its ornate, broad cornice and ten floors, for a time. it was the tallest in California and stood out as the most significant building in Fresno for eight years. The ornate lobby features marble walls and bronze elevator doors inset with bronze reliefs depicting scenes of Valley agriculture and industry. The building was designed by architect George Kelham, a significant California architect of the early 20th century. Kelham served as the Chief of Architecture for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco of 1915, and also designed such California landmarks as San Francisco's Palace Hotel, the San Francisco Public Library (now the Asian Art Museum) and the Standard Oil Building in Los Angeles. The ground floor is occupied by retail tenants, and the upper floors are currently undergoing renovation. It is listed on the Local Register of Historic Places.

F. Pacific Southwest / Security Bank Building  / 1060 Fulton – 1925

1060 Fulton Mall — Classical Revival, R. F. Felchlin, Architect.

Downtown Fresno's most prominent building for over 84 years, 1060 Fulton rises 264 feet above the Fulton Mall, and is visible from much of the city. It was built as the headquarters for the Fidelity Branch of the Pacific-Southwest Trust and Savings Bank. Construction of the 15 story building took eighteen months and cost $1,200,000. It opened to the public in January of 1925. The building was designed by noted California architect R. F. Felchlin, whose firm also designed many of Downtown Fresno's other prominent structures. For many years, the building was home to Security Pacific Bank, and was adorned with an illuminated "Security Bank" sign on all four sides, only one of which now remains. While its official name is now simply 1060 Fulton, many Fresnans still refer to the property as the "Security Bank Building."

Though the building has just 15 floors, due to the 40-foot high first floor, and 60 foot tall terra cotta tile "crown" that tops the building, its height is equivalent to that of a typical 21 story building. A communications antenna on the roof brings the overall height of the building to well over 300 feet. When the building opened in 1925 it was the tallest building on the west coast south of San Francisco, and it remained the tallest building between Oakland and Los Angeles for many decades. The building originally featured a rooftop mounted tower complete with a revolving signal beacon beacon that could be seen for 30 miles, and was intended to give weather warnings to valley farmers. The exterior features neo-classical details with 40 foot high Corinthian topped columns, rising from the sidewalk.

The first-floor bank lobby has a 40-foot ceiling of hand painted sculptured plaster with gold leaf. For many years this ornate ceiling was hidden by a modern "drop" ceiling of acoustic tile, but it has been restored by the current owners. This grand space is now used as a ballroom for wedding receptions, conventions and reunions. The building also features original mahogany interior trim, and walls of Tennessee walnut marble embellished with Bottocino marble. The building also houses a basement level parking garage for 150 cars, and six bank vaults. Located on the southeast corner of Fulton and Mariposa, the building sits at the heart of historic Fresno, and the site has been occupied by a building since the earliest days of the city. Today the upper floors of the building are home to luxury lofts, and the lower floors are home to offices. The grand ballroom on the first floor is used for conventions, meetings, and wedding receptions. It stands at the center of the six-block long Fulton Mall, and is adjacent to the Free Speech Plaza, which is home to a farmers market, concerts and festivals. With the possible exception of the historic Fresno Water Tower, 1060 Fulton is arguably the most recognized building in Fresno.

G. Mason Building – 1918

1044 Fulton Mall — Classical Revival, E. Mathewson, Architect.

This property was acquired by E. Mason of San Francisco in 1878. His daughter, Lady Palmer of London, inherited the property and built the present building in 1918. It was designed by architect Eugene Mathewson. The upper floors of the building are currently vacant, while retail shops occupy the ground floor. The current building owner has proposed converting the upper floors to loft apartments. The Mason Building is listed on the Local Register of Historic Places.

H. Bank of Italy-Bank of America Building – 1917

1001 Fulton Mall — Classical Revival, R.F. Felchlin Company, Charles Franklin, Architect.

One of the most ornate of Fresno's many historic office buildings, the Bank of Italy is an elegant example of the Renaissance Revival style. Built in 1917/1918, bank president A. P. Giannini attended its dedication. With its ornate terra cotta spandrel panels, cornice and first-floor window trim is distinguished from all the others in the area. The interior lobby is elegant with marble floors, decorative plaster ceiling, etched brass elevator doors, solid mahogany stair rails and a 25-foot ceiling. The building actually consists of two sections, the eight story tower, built in 1917/1918, and a lower two story addition, built on the former Radin and Kamp site in 1925. The Bank of Italy later became Bank of America, and this building served as the firm's Fresno headquarters. The building also holds an interesting place in American finance history. In 1958, Bank of America chose Fresno as the nation's first test market for a new concept, a bank issued credit card, Bank Americard, which is today VISA. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is currently awaiting renovation.

I. The T. W. Patterson Building – 1922/1923

2014 Tulare Street — Classical Revival, R.F. Felchlin Company, Architect.

The T. W. Patterson Building has been a prominent landmark on the Fresno skyline since 1923. In the late 1800's this site was at the heart of the residential section of Fresno, and was known as "Nob Hill." This eight story building was designed by R. F. Felchlin, and was built upon the site of the earlier Forsythe Building, home of women's retailer "The Wonder Store" which suffered a terrible fire in 1921. The was built at the cost of $750,000, and was the largest in Fresno in terms of square footage when completed. At its inception, the building housed The Wonder Store, many medical offices, and the Sequoia Club social organization. In 1964, the newly organized Downtown Club occupied the top floor. It later housed Coffee's Department Store. The building was named by John D. Patterson, in honor of one of his close relatives, T. W. Patterson, who founded the Stanisluas County town that bears his name. It was the first commercial office building west of the Mississippi to have air conditioning. Over the Tulare Street entrance, a careful observer will note a caduceus emblem, an remnant of the days when Valley physicians practiced on the upper floors. Marble sheaths the walls of the lobby, and the Tulare Street entrance retains its ornate vaulted ceiling and marble stairs. At the Fulton Mall entrance, a mural of Tuscany graces the walls. The staircase to the mezzanine is flanked by lacy metal banisters. The building is occupied by retail tennants on the ground floor and offices above, and has been restored. It is listed on the Local Register of Historic Places.

J. Radin & Kamp / J.C. Penney's Building – 1925

959 Fulton Mall — Classical Revival, Felchlin, Shaw, Franklin Architects.

Under several names and at several different locations, Radin & Kamp were pioneer merchants of Fresno dating back to the 1880's. Prior to this site at Tulare and Fulton, they were located across Tulare Street at the site of the Bank of Italy building annex. In From 1935, they merged with the Famous Department Store chain from Los Angeles. A decade later in 1945, the J.C. Penney Company assumed the property, and occupied the building until 1986. For many years it was the largest building - in square footage - in Fresno. Notice it has a decorated cornice and pediments between the windows. Today it is vacant, awaiting renovation as the Fresno "ballpark lofts."