West Side Bank
Also known as: Thompson Electric
Why it's listed
Built in 1910-1911 at 47 West Sixth Street in Tracy, California, this one-story brick building was constructed as the West Side Bank. San Francisco architect William H. Weeks designed it, and J.E. Johnston served as builder. Only the blue limestone facade is architecturally finished, since the other brick walls were meant to abut neighboring buildings. The Beaux-Arts front has a shallow Greek pediment with a carved "1910" medallion, double Corinthian pilasters framing a large central arch, and copper door and window dressings. Inside, the coffered ceiling, skylights, wainscoting and floor remain, though tellers' booths and fixtures were removed. Weeks ran a large firm and designed many schools, banks and libraries across the state. Tracy's mayor, Abe Grunauer, hired him, and the bank is described as a smaller version of Weeks' Bank of Arcata. The building was listed for its architectural merit and its link to Tracy's early civic growth. It now houses a neon sign business.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an excellent example of William H. Weeks' Beaux-Arts bank work, which was prolific and well regarded in California. It also reflects Tracy's growth and its search for a civic image around the time the city incorporated. The facade is the only architecturally finished face of the building.
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 78000765, listed December 12, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 47 W. 6th St., Tracy |
|---|---|
| County | San Joaquin County |
| Listed | December 12, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000765 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1910-1911) |
| Architect / builder | William H. Weeks, Architect; J.E. Johnston, Builder |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts (neo-classical details) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good, altered condition; used by an electrical and neon sign business for repair and manufacture of neon signs, with a neon sign added to the facade and the entry arch partially boarded up. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.73506, -121.42667 (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 78000765.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q126721086
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.