{"nrhp_refnum":"96001175","name":"Bank of Pinole","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"2361 San Pablo Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Pinole","county":"Contra Costa County","state":"CA","lat":38.00562013700005,"lon":-122.29009232399994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1996-10-24","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A small, single-story Neo Classic masonry bank building at 2361 San Pablo Avenue in downtown Pinole, Contra Costa County, California, built in 1915 by banker Edward M. Downer Sr.","why_significant":"The nomination finds it locally significant under Criterion C in Architecture as a good example of a classically influenced commercial building. It is the only classical-temple-form bank in Pinole, using classical proportions, durable materials and ornament to convey permanence and security.","narrative":"Built in 1915 by Pinole banker Edward M. Downer Sr., this small single-story masonry bank at 2361 San Pablo Avenue is the only Neo Classic building of its kind in the community. Two concrete Ionic columns flank the double-door entry, tall round-headed windows with keystones line the sides, and a dentil course and ornate entablature circle the building. Exterior walls are cavity masonry with scored plaster meant to resemble cut stone. The design uses Golden Section proportions in both plan and front elevation. The bank served as a financial institution until 1939, later housed a youth center from 1964 and a city children's program, and was bought by the Pinole Redevelopment Agency in 1992. The interior was altered over the years, yet the marble floor, wood windows, plaster ceiling and the single continuous banking room survive. At the time of listing it was being remodeled as a restaurant. It was recognized for its architecture at the local level.","period_of_significance":"1915","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Classical Revival (described in the text as Neo Classic)","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Under remodeling for use as a restaurant at the time of the nomination; the original marble floor has been exposed and is intact. Owned by the Pinole Redevelopment Agency.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:26.918859-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/96001175.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/96001175/0d6e86db03-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/96001175/0d6e86db03-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Sanfranman59","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bank_of_Pinole_(Pinole,_CA).JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Sanfranman59</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:Bank_of_Pinole_(Pinole,_CA).JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123858505","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Pinole","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4856171"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/contra-costa-county/bank-of-pinole-96001175/"}