Singer Building
Why it's listed
Standing at the southeast corner of Colorado Boulevard and Oakland Avenue in downtown Pasadena, this two-story commercial building was completed in 1926 for the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Architect Everett Phipps Babcock gave it a Churrigueresque-influenced Spanish Colonial Revival design in brick and concrete, with a red tile roof, cast stone finials, ornamental ironwork, glazed tile and a three-sided corner bay crowned by a flattened tower. Construction cost $105,000, reflecting costly materials and fine workmanship. Babcock, who had worked briefly in Wallace Neff's office, is known for fewer than a dozen buildings in the region, and this is his only known non-residential commission. The building is presented as a rare survivor of the small, pedestrian-oriented Spanish-style shops that once lined downtown Pasadena in the 1920s, many since demolished. A sympathetic restoration reinforced its viability, though the nomination noted it was unoccupied and vulnerable to redevelopment.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a good, largely unspoiled example of Spanish Colonial Revival commercial architecture that captures the character of Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard in the 1920s. It adapts the ornate Churrigueresque style to a small commercial scale using expensive materials and fine workmanship. It is also Babcock's only known non-residential commission.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85001066, listed May 16, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 16 S. Oakland Ave. and 520 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | May 16, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001066 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926 |
| Architect / builder | Everett Phipps Babcock |
| Architectural style | Churrigueresque-influenced Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as recently restored with the Colorado Street level frontage the main remaining alteration; the nomination also states the building is currently unoccupied and threatened by downtown development. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Pasadena Playhouse Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.14560, -118.13969 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85001066.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14683993
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.