Valencia Court Apartments
Why it's listed
Valencia Court Apartments is a group of four three-story brick apartment buildings at 500-518 Fisher Avenue in Rockford, Illinois. Designed in 1927-28 by local architect Jesse A. Barloga for developer Standish S. Budlong, the buildings follow the Spanish Revival style. Beige brick walls are trimmed with limestone, wrought iron and multicolored ceramic tile, and low gable roofs are covered in red ceramic S-tiles. Brick arcades and one-story connectors added in 1969 link the buildings, and ornament grows simpler from the east building to the west. Playing-card tiles appear in blind arches on some facades. Most original steel casement windows were replaced in 1983, though the original wall openings remain. Barloga, who trained in Chicago and worked for Frank A. Carpenter before opening his own Rockford practice in 1919, designed in many revival styles, and this complex is an example of his 1920s work. The property is currently vacant.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the complex as a distinctive example of Spanish Revival apartment design by Jesse A. Barloga, a prolific Rockford architect who worked in many revival styles in the 1920s. The buildings retain their original wall openings and much of their decorative detailing. The complex also reflects the 1920s apartment development of Rockford's west side. The full significance section and criteria marks are truncated in the supplied text.
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 09001123, listed December 22, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 500-518 Fisher Ave., Rockford |
|---|---|
| County | Winnebago County |
| Listed | December 22, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09001123 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Jesse A. Barloga (architect); Standish S. Budlong (owner/developer) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Spanish Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; plywood covers many first-story windows for security and where glass is broken. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.79588, -89.07603 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 09001123.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15694005
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.