Building up Merced, one permit at a time

According to a recent Merced Sun-Star article, 2019 was a record year for building permit applications. The history of building permits in Merced begins in the early part of the last century.

In the midst of winter in 1912, a fight for stricter rules in building construction that had been brewing for some time erupted when Charles Simon made it clear that he would not erect a $30,000 building on the northeast corner of 18th and Canal streets until a building ordinance was established. The city trustees finally listened and instructed the staff to create a building permit system.

It was January 1912. By November, the City of Merced seemed to be on track to adopt the new building ordinance.

City Attorney Fred W. Henderson was working to prepare the new rules which would incorporate all the most up-to-date restrictions and requirements in a building permit system. The city appointed Fire Marshal and Fire Chief J. E. McSharry as building inspector. Builders would be required to submit plans and specifications for all new buildings for the city to review, and a permit would be issued once the project met the requirements.

Although the city wanted to implement this new ordinance and get the building permit system up and running by Jan. 1, 1913, it did not happen until March 1. As reported by the Merced Evening Sun, Building Permit No. 1 was issued to Contractor J. R. Mathews on behalf of C. C. Plyler on March 7. Plyler planned to build a grocery store and residence building on the corner of 17th and R Streets. Plyler, it was said, also made history by building the very first “corner grocery” in Merced, according to the Sun. The construction cost about $1,500, and the work was to be completed by April 1. Because the store was located opposite the Yosemite Valley Railroad depot, it became known as Y. V. Cash Grocery.

As Plyler’s building received the first permit for new construction, the Olcese and Garibaldi Building on 16th and Canal streets was bestowed the same honor in building alterations. The place occupied by the Merced Poultry Supply was damaged by fire so Contractor C. J. Droesch was going to repair it at a cost of $500. Droesch also took out Permit No. 2 for the work in J. K. Law’s building on 16th Street which housed a Chinese restaurant. The work cost only $50.

By the end of 1913, the total value of all building permits for new buildings and alterations amounted to $140,820 for 144 building projects. This was the first year that the city kept a record of building activity. Since the official permits under the new ordinance were not issued until March, building inspector McSherry estimated an expenditure of $40,500 for 13 building projects for the first two months of 1913.

The Parkside Apartments building was one of the first major construction projects in 1913 before the permitting system was established. It was the first apartment house ever built in Merced, and it is still standing today.

Herman J. Hinds was a local agent for Wells Fargo & Co. In January 1913, he hired A. Rahlves to erect a two-story building on O Street (now 2023 O Street), facing Courthouse Park. The building was 46 feet wide and 119 feet deep with a roof garden and storage units in the concrete cellar.

It contained 16 furnished units: 10 two-bedroom and six three-bedroom apartments. Each apartment included a living room and/or dining room, kitchen, bathroom, reception hall, telephone, steam heat, and hot water. The apartment house was ready for use and open for inspection as reported by the Sun on May 14, 1913. At a cost of $20,000, the Parkside Apartments building was the leading expenditure of the year.

The second leading construction project of 1913 was the Santa Fe depot. In May, a fire caused by defective electrical wiring in the baggage room burned the Santa Fe depot to the ground with a total loss of $10,000. Among the freight and merchandise destroyed by the fire were 12 sacks of United States mail. A new depot was eventually built and open by November, and the construction cost was $6,000. Sadly, this new building would meet the same fate three years later.

The 1913 building permit records also shed light on the construction cost of an average single-family home in Merced which was in the ballpark of $1,000 to $2,000. For the social elites, eight more costly homes were built, and they made up the remainder of the top ten constructions.

For example, the most expensive home at a cost of $4,150 was built for farmer J. B. Baker on the northwest corner of N and 18th Streets, and the second costly home, $3,900, was erected at 847 W 19th Street for rancher Hugh Borland.

With the establishment of a building permit system and the creation of the Building Department, Merced citizens were better served as new construction was monitored with code enforcement and regulated with new building codes. In addition, Mercedians were better informed as they could see the increased property values in Merced.

This story was originally published January 19, 2020 at 6:00 AM.