City Center Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids City Center Building |
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Hayward City Center Building
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| Former names | Centennial Tower |
| General information | |
| Status | Abandoned |
| Type | City hall Business offices |
| Location | 22300 Foothill Boulevard |
| Coordinates | 37°40′46″N 122°04′56″W / 37.679405°N 122.082353°W |
| Construction started | 1966 |
| Completed | 1969 |
| Opened | October 18, 1969 |
| Demolished | 2020 |
| Owner | Mika Realty of Los Angeles |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 11 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Mitchell Van Bourg |
The City Center Building, also called Centennial Tower for a short time, was once the tallest building in Hayward, California. Before 2013, it was the second tallest. That changed when Warren Hall at Cal State East Bay was torn down.
For many years, the City Center Building was empty. It stood in Downtown Hayward, near the PlazaCenter mall. This building used to be the city hall for Hayward. Its demolition started in January 2020 and finished by September 2020.
Contents
History of the Building
The city of Hayward opened this building on October 18, 1969. It was made of strong concrete with steel inside. Builders first planned for it to have 20 floors and even a movie theater. However, only 11 floors were built, and there was no cinema.
The building served as Hayward's city hall from 1969 to 1998. The top floor was where the city government worked. Other floors were rented out to different businesses. This building was meant to replace the old Hayward city hall. That old building is now at Alex Giualini Plaza. The City Center Building was the first part of a bigger plan for the City Center area.
In the 1970s, a writer named Allan Temko called the building "the toaster." This nickname made many people dislike the building. Later, the Centennial Hall Convention Center was added nearby. In the 1980s, the PlazaCenter shopping area was built next to it. This was on the land where Hayward High School used to be.
Earthquake Damage and Closure
The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake caused damage to the building's structure. Because of this, the city government moved out. In 1998, after a new city hall was ready, the building was closed to the public.
The city sold the building in 1998 for $1.5 million. A developer bought it, planning to turn it into apartments. They renamed it "Centennial Tower." This developer then sold it to another company. But turning it into apartments was too expensive, so it never happened.
In 2006, there were plans to tear down the building. But a year later, these plans were canceled. On November 1, 2009, the Centennial Hall Convention Center next door closed. It was later torn down.
New Hayward City Hall
The new Hayward City Hall opened in January 1998. It is located on B Street and Watkins Street. This spot is right next to the Hayward BART station.
What the Building Looked Like Before Demolition
The City Center Building was empty for a long time. Inside, many walls, pipes, and the heating system were removed. Many windows were broken or covered up. You could see Graffiti on the windows and upper floors.
In January 2008, a fence was put up around the building. This was to stop people from damaging it. In March 2010, a fire started on the top floors. Some people without homes had stayed on the first floor. They had taken out copper pipes to sell them.
Future Plans for the Site
In early 2008, there were ideas to fix up the tower. This included making it stronger against earthquakes. There were also plans to turn it into office spaces. Another idea was to build apartments over the parking garage of the old Centennial Hall. This garage was not torn down.
The building officially closed in 2009. In 2010, the city started looking for companies to tear it down. Instead of full demolition, only dangerous materials were removed at that time. The building was finally torn down in 2020.
Images for kids
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City Center Building, showing window damage and graffiti
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Signs of the building being unused at ground level
