The Radio Central Facade Project Update
Radio Central Continues To Expose History
New Pictures Below 
A Dream Comes True…
It Only Took A Decade And A Day!
CHRS Radio Central
Returns To Its 1900 Facade
Now, one decade and one day later, on April 24th, 2024 CHRS was approved, for the building permit from the City of Alameda to demolish the 1950s false front, built by the owners at that time, the Church of the Nazarene, and restore our Mission Revival style building to its original glory.
2152 Central Avenue, April 24, 2024
Yuri Builds Missing Dentils Using 124 Year Old Vintage Teeth
Once Painted They Will Look Original… Because They Are!
Radio Central Today October 17, 2024
Recreating 124 Year Old Architectural Details
By Steve Kushman, CHRS Project Manager
2152 Central 1900 – 1960
CHRS was fortunate enough to be able to purchase the building at 2152 Central Ave. in Alameda, CA in 2014. It was the first telephone exchange building in Alameda built by the Sunset Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1900 and is now known as CHRS Radio Central. It was built in the California Mission Revival architectural style.
2152 Central 1960 – 2024
In about 1960, the building was owned by the Church of the Nazarene. And in those ‘modern’ times ‘old fashioned’ things were sometimes looked upon unfavorably. So, the Church hacked off most all of the original façade details including the stairway and erected a flat, cinder block decorated false front. When CHRS bought this building 10 years ago we knew what was under the false wall. And 10 years later CHRS is restoring our building to its 1900 classic style.
Today
Many processes are involved in this restoration, but we will now focus on one. All of the missing façade details were originally made from brick covered with stucco which is a process that is prohibitively expensive today. For some years now, much of this vintage detailing has been made using laser cut high density styrofoam, covered with sticky mesh and then covered with stucco. The finished product looks, feels, paints and weathers like the original but is much more inexpensive, lighter, easier to work and will last 100 years!
The picture essay that follows is the 12 step CHRS program for recreating a 124 year old building style, missing for 60 years. Watch for more updates.
Construction Update
The Last Two New Windows Being Installed
Chunks Of Belly Band Missing For 70 Years Being Replaced
Main Elements On Radio Central Side Complete
Lots Of New Light Inside!
September 19th, 2024
KRE Door Trims In Place
Last Concrete Pours In Front – New Brick Pad
New Slab For Car Charger
New Version Of 124 Year Old Window Going In
Looks Pretty Good – Identical To Original
Yuri & Miguel Chek Out The View Not Seen For 70 Years!
Scaffolding Back Up For Finish Stucco Work
Note New Light Posts
Night View Of Radio Central
September 12th, 2024
Stucco & Foam Work Continues
Concrete Stairs Just Poured
Working The Concrete
Nice Stairs! Note Safety Grooves
Reforming Our Brick Pad
Space Added For 10 More $250 Bricks
Check This Out… One Window Is 124 Years Old…
One Is Brand New!
Yuri Reinstalls The Original Window
September 5th, 2024
Note New Foam Column Bases
Construction Update
Forms Removed And High Density Foam In Place.
Foam Fills The Space Under The Stairs.
Doweling & Tying Rebar
Steel In Place & Tied. Stair Forms Complete.
August 28th, 2024
Concrete For Stairs Coming Tuesday
Concrete Arrives At Radio Central
Busy Morning! Concrete Being Pumped.
Paul And Edith Bourbin Trim Our Hedge To Make Room
For One Of Four
Vintage Style Light Posts To Be Installed.
Balustrades Being Filled…
And Smoothed…
August 22nd, 2024
Stairs To Be Built Next
Construction Update
Dan Long’s Crew Forming Balustrades
Lots Of Heavy Forms To Hold Lots Of Concrete
August 14th, 2024
Ready To Pour Concrete!Construction Update
Dan Long & Crew Prepare To Build The Front Stairway
Digging For Stairway Foundation
Pouring Concrete
Balustrade Forms Being Built
CHRS Radio Central – August 8th, 2024
Our Progress Is Very Exciting!
The KRE / American Graffiti Door Installed In Radio Central. It’s Our ADA Entrance And Will Have Glass Sidelights. The Brick Area Around The Door Still Has Remnants Of The Old Church Entrance Structure That Was Removed.
But, A Little Sandblasting…
And Some New Paint…
And Wow… Our Bricks And Quoins Cleaned Up Very Well.
Nice To Bring Back The Original Look.
And Nice To Personalize RC With Our Radio Door.
CHRS Radio Central – July 31st, 2024
Note The Two Roof Towers Being Rebuilt. Progress Since Last Week
Check This Out!
The Reliefs And Trims Are Ready To Adorn The Building Again.
Missing For 70 Years… They Have Been Recreated
From High Density Foam Covered With Stucco.
These Should Last About 100 Years!
Dentils & Arches Have Standard Stucco Finiish.
The Korbels Are Made To Look Like 124
Year Old Wooden Beams… And They Do!
Yuri Frames In Opening For New Window
The Steel For Our ADA Entrance Door Ready To Be Installed
Steel Craftsmen From Bob’s Iron Erect The Frame
Support Frame In Place
KRE Door To Be Installed in Lower Opening
Another New Window To Be Installed In Top Opening
June 13th 2024. Rebuilding Continues!
Aquilles Of Bay Area Foam Shapes & DesignsTakes Our Model To The factory For Reproduction
Working On Front Door Framing
Looking Out Our Front Door Opening
6″ x 8″ Door Header In Place
Framing For New Window Begins
The Fancy Top Portion Of Our Existing Window Removed
And Sent Out For Duplication. The New Windows Will Be Made Using Vintage “Wavy” Glass To Match The Original.
The Lower Decorative Panel Also Being Reproduced.
June 5th 2024. 2152 Central Avenue Being Reborn.
Progress Since Last Week In Pictures
We Have Created A Full Scale Model Of The Details
That Were Removed About 70 Years Ago.
This Model Will Be Scanned And New Reliefs Made
From High Density Foam Covered With Stucco.
Model Complete
Eaves Framed. Soffits Below Eaves Now Have Beadboard.
Soffits Being Primed
New Old Style Eaves And Soffits
Awaiting Facia Trim And Korbels
Note Cool New Radio Day Flag & Signage
Last Of Old Half Round Windows Removed And Replaced
Nice View!
Work Has Begun On New Front Entryway
End Of The Day – May 30, 2024
Next Steps Are New Front Entry
& New ADA Side Entrance
Progress Since Last Week In Pictures
Many Irregularities Repaired In Preparation
For Missing Details To Be Recreated And Replaced
Just The Outline Of The Original Details Remain
We Are Recreating A Full Scale Model Of The Details That Were Removed About 70 Years Ago.
This Model Will Be Scanned And New Reliefs Made From High Density Foam Covered With Stucco.
The Heavy Equipment Is Here To Work The Heights
Extensions Of The Original Roof Rafters Installed To Form The Eaves That Were Removed Many Years Ago.
End Of The Day – May 23, 2024.
Eaves Almost Framed. Soffits Below Eaves Will Have Beadboard And New Korbels Made From An Original Building Sample.
2152 Central Avenue, 1900… Our Soon To Be New Old Style
Yuri Watches A Pair Of Alameda TrottersChecking Out Our Construction
Removing More False Front Framing
View From The Roof
Our Towers Now Exposed – Shortened 70 Years Ago
They Will Be Rebuilt
Window Removed To Be Duplicated
2 Sides Of Our Fancy 124 Year Old Window
Squaring Up Brick For Our New Steel Door Frame
And Smoothing Out Parts Of The Belly Band
To Accept The New Stucco Coated Foam Band
End Of The Day, May 16th, 2024
2152 Central Avenue, 1900… Our Soon To Be New Old Style
Are We Sure About This?… You Bet!
Progress Since Last Week In Pictures
Ancient Details Revealed
First Light Coming Through Window In About 90 Years!
Central Avenue From Inside Radio Central.
Also First Time Seen In About 90 Years!
Covered For Rain
A Large Animal Has Been Sleeping In Our Back Yard
Say Good Bye To 1950s Modernization!
OOPs… It’s Too Late Now!
Aaaah…Today – May 9th, 2024… The Past Is Returning
Radio Central Facade Restoration Update
Exploration Complete
NEW – The Alameda Building inspector checked out our openings in the facade and concluded that the 1900 portion of the building is in very good condition… being 124 years old! He finalized our Exploration Permit so we hope to submit our complete set of drawings and plans to the City for review next week.
We Are On Our Way Back To 1900!
Construction Manager Tidys Up After Cutting In 2nd Opening
Front Stairs Were Connected Here & A Peek Inside The Building.
Seth Arp Removes Stucco & False Facade
Close Up Of The Opening – See The Thickness Of The False Facade. Looking Inside The Dark Area In The Photo Above You Can See The Nicely Preserved Original 124 Year Old Wood Detail,(below). The Yellowish Area Below Is The Original Window Into The Great Room, Painted Years Ago.
Exploration Begins!
Mark Checks Out Inspection Opening In The False Front Wall.
