{"nrhp_refnum":"82000965","name":"Kindler, Paul, House","other_names":["The \"Castle\""],"category":"building","location":{"address":"1520 E. Olive Ave","address_restricted":false,"city":"Fresno","county":"Fresno County","state":"CA","lat":36.75725230000006,"lon":-119.79182746699996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1982-10-29","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 2½-story, steep-roofed French Norman-influenced Period Revival residence at 1520 East Olive Avenue in Fresno, California, known as the \"Castle.\" Construction began in November 1928 and the certificate of occupancy was issued in April 1929.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is one of the finest examples of 1920s revival architecture in upper-echelon Fresno, drawing on French Norman sources. It was built as the personal home of Paul Kindler, a leading masonry contractor on most major Fresno commercial buildings of the 1920s, and it displays his brickwork and terra cotta skill. It was designed by the Richard F. Felchlin firm, for which it is one of few known residential commissions.","narrative":"Known locally as the \"Castle,\" this 2½-story house at 1520 East Olive Avenue in Fresno was built in 1928-29 as the home of Paul Kindler, a German-born brick mason who became one of the city's leading masonry contractors. Designed by architect Richard F. Felchlin, it follows French Norman sources within the Period Revival style popular in 1920s Fresno. A round turret entry, textured stucco over a brick base, half-timbering, a terra cotta cornice and a wood shingle roof define the exterior, while the interior features Philippine mahogany trim, tile and scrolled brick. Kindler laid brick and terra cotta on many major Fresno buildings, including the Bank of Italy and the Fidelity Bank Building, and the terra cotta motif above his front door matches the one on the Fidelity building. The house remains largely unchanged, with only minor modifications, and is one of the few residences produced by the Felchlin firm. Later owners included Alfonso Borrelli, founder of Perfection Macaroni Company.","period_of_significance":"1928-32","architect_builder":"Kindler/Felchlin","architectural_style":"1920s Period Revival, French Norman influence","criteria":[],"status_note":"Listed as occupied, in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site; used as a private residence.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:27.436512-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/82000965.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82000965/95c4c206ab-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82000965/95c4c206ab-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Wearsunscreen","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kindler_House_NE.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Wearsunscreen</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kindler_House_NE.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123858665","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133260685"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/fresno-county/kindler-paul-house-82000965/"}