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The long road of complications facing the architects of the new gas station to be built at the corner of the Alameda and Hwy 156 seems to be finally leading to the project’s approval by the San Juan Bautista Planning Commission.
The unveiling of a new design for the project by architect Fred Avila took in suggestions from the community and is more harmonious with the historic image of the town. It met with the enthusiastic approval of the commissioners and members of the public who attended the Dec. 13 commission workshop.
“I’m looking forward to this being built,” said Commissioner Jackie Morris-Lopez. “I just want to say thank you, Mr. Avila, and to the developers and owners for being patient. You did listen to what feedback we gave you and you came back with this beautiful project.”
Avila said the new design was intended to harmonize more with the western theme set by the nearby Windmill Market and took direction through his discovery that the corner location had previously been owned by San Juan pioneer and sheep farmer Antoine Taix.
“We thought, ‘If it’s going to be as if we’re on a farm, let’s make it a barn,’” he said. “We wanted something that would work for San Juan and be appealing while also working for our clients, the developers.”
The new design has wood paneling, a more open look and a car wash that had been part of several designs has been replaced by an outdoor dining area. The space has been made more accessible to the hotel next door and the walkways around the buildings will resemble wooden sidewalks rather than ones made from concrete.
The barn theme includes old-fashioned vents on the roof, which Commissioner Dan DeVries said almost gave the impression that Taix’s sheep are still inside.
During public comment, San Juan Bautista Historical Society President Wanda Guilbert praised the design, saying it was a fitting homage to Taix, one of the town’s first mayors as well as a director of the First National Bank of San Juan.
“Using an agrarian design concept rather than a generic neo-Mediterranian design that can be found in Anytown USA is unique,” she said, “and it maintains the historical integrity of San Juan Bautista, which will hopefully drive travelers into town to learn more and help revitalize our local economy.”
As the meeting was a workshop to discuss the final submission, no action was taken by the commission. The design will be reconsidered at their next scheduled meeting in January.
The gas station was first proposed at a commission meeting on Dec. 3, 2013 and its design has been hotly debated since, because it is one of the first things tourists and visitors see as they approach the town. The first design mimicked the facade and arched passageways of Mission San Juan Bautista and drew criticism for imitating the look of the church for a commercial project.
Designs since then have consistently been sent back to the drawing board as being too generic for the community. The last attempt, submitted to the commissioners at their Nov. 7 meeting and favored by Assistant City Manager Brian Foucht, was rejected by the commissioners, one of whom privately referred to it as “looking like a Circle K in Fresno.”
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