Janssens–Orella–Birk Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Janssens–Orella–Birk Building
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View from State Street
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1029-1031 State St., Santa Barbara, California |
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| Built | 1927-1937 |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001170 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1987 |
The Janssens–Orella–Birk Building is a really old and important building in Santa Barbara, California. It was first built in 1927 and changed a few times over the years. This building is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can find it on State Street, right in the middle of historic Santa Barbara.
Building History
The very first building on this spot was an adobe house. Adobe is a type of brick made from earth and straw. It was built by Augustin Jansens from Belgium and his wife, Maria Antonia Pico.
Later, in 1872, a local landowner named Bruno Orella bought it. His family owned the building for many years, until the 1950s! Some parts of those old adobe walls are even part of the building you see today.
In 1927, a brand new house was built here. It was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. This style looks like old Spanish buildings, with things like red tile roofs and white walls. A local team of architects designed it.
After World War II, a famous restaurant called the Copper Coffee Pot opened here. It was a very popular place where people loved to meet up. The restaurant was named after a doctor, John Manning, and run by his wife. It closed its doors in 1985. The last owner of the restaurant was named Birk, which is why the building has his name today. Now, a different Italian restaurant is in the building.
Building Design
The Janssens–Orella–Birk Building has two floors. It's shaped like the letter 'L' when you look at it from above. Parts of the roof are flat, and other parts have red tiles.
The front of the building faces State Street. This is the main street in downtown Santa Barbara. The building fits right in, even though the buildings next to it were built much later. The outside of the building looks like its original 1927 design. However, the inside has been changed a lot over the years.
The front of the building, which faces State Street, has a cool balcony. It also has a central open area, like a courtyard, called a patio. On one side of this patio, there's a special wall fountain. It's shaped like a lion's head!
Images for kids
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IM 1029 state 93101 back of building
