Pythias Lodge Building
Also known as: Community Arts Complex; Intercultural Council of the Arts
Why it's listed
Built between June 1910 and February 1911, this five-story cream pressed brick building stands at Third Avenue and E Street in downtown San Diego. The Quayle Brothers designed it as a lodge hall for the Knights of Pythias, with shops and offices on the lower floors and a two-story main lodge room with a maple dance floor above. Its design shows a modified Beaux Arts influence, seen in arched windows with keystones, an enriched cornice and frieze, and a prominent attic story. Inside, glass-tile sidewalk grates bring light to the basement, and an open wire cage elevator still operates. The building also housed the Southern Electrical Company, whose owner built San Diego's first commercial radio station here, broadcasting from 1922. The Knights of Pythias lost the building in 1923, after which trade unions and community groups used it. At the time of listing it served as an arts complex, though nearby redevelopment threatened demolition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an outstanding example of a modified Beaux Arts style, designed by two of San Diego's most prominent architects. It is tied to the Knights of Pythias, a large and charitable fraternal order, and to San Diego's first commercial radio station, first broadcast in 1922. Distinctive features include interior glass-tile sidewalk grates and an open wire cage elevator.
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 81000171, listed April 8, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 211 E St. and 870 3rd Ave., San Diego |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | April 8, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000171 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Quayle Brothers, Charles and Edward Quayle. Builder: Gallagher Construction Company, general contractors; Charles H. Julian, plumbing and steam heating; Ayres and Steventon, electrical; Standard Iron Works, elevator enclosures and probably decorative metalwork. |
| Architectural style | Modified Beaux Arts |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied at the time of nomination, housing theater, dance and visual arts groups on the upper floors and an art gallery on the ground floor. The form notes it was scheduled for demolition as part of a redevelopment project. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 32.71448, -117.16220 (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.
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 81000171.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q945439
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.