Pages From The Past: Novato’s building boom

Mark Read/Pages From The Past

100 Years Ago

October 1922

– The work of construction on the Black Point cutoff is being pushed forward with all speed consistent with good work. A very large crew of men are employed, and all modern machinery is being used. The camp resembles a small summer-village with its tents, cabins, huge derricks, rock crushers, cement mixers, etc. A look in the big A dining room revealed the fact that it was about mealtime. The long table through the middle of the room was laden with good things and was an unimpeachable witness as to the fare of the men. This highway will be a popular thoroughfare for autoists next year. At this end of the drawbridge, we had the pleasure of meeting genial J. C. Green, who keeps a store and dispenses soft and cooling drinks to the thirsty tourists. He is an old timer and interested in the welfare of Marin County.

75 Years Ago

October 1947

– The Rev. Hershel H. Day, ex-chaplain in the U.S. air corps, has accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Novato, the first ordained minister the church has had since its organization.

– Novato has a serious water shortage, some homes being without for several days, though the Novato Water Company is making every effort to supply its customers. Petitions for the formation of a Novato water district are being rapidly signed with the hope that the district may be formed in season to conserve the water from the winter rains in time to prevent a similar shortage next summer.

– One hundred dollars’ worth of grade A eggs and their cases for the Poultry Producers were stolen from the Sjosblom ranch on Atherton Avenue, in a bold daylight robbery.

50 Years Ago

October 1972

– The building boom was stepped up further in Novato last week with the issuance of $2,115,500 in building permits to Horst Hanf for apartments in the Diablo Triangle. It was the largest single project issued since Pacheco Village began building several months ago, according to Building inspector Merle Mauroni. Grading began this week for the Hanf project of 105 units of apartments in eight buildings in the 1500 block of Center Road (behind Cala Foods). The Pacheco Village project consists of 180 units of apartments on the east side of Highway 101 near the Marin Valley Mobile Country Club.

– A disheartened Lee Gerner ponders the wreckage of what once was a lovely aggregate stone table in Gerner Park behind Sambo’s restaurant. Sometime over the weekend someone apparently took a sledgehammer to it causing $300 worth of damage. Also smashed was a water fountain. For good measure the vandals tore up $100 worth of rhododendrons and dumped two trash bins into the creek behind Pumperdink’s delicatessen for another $250 worth of damage, according to Novato police. 

– The city council last night brushed off protests of Hill Street residents who’d delegated Betty Machado as their spokesman and voted unanimously to buy the Richard Connell property at 1523 South Novato Boulevard for $45,000. The city wants the property for the future Hill Road extension which some residents of that street are opposing. The council stressed that it was not about to go into the whole question of the future alignment of Hill Road but only to consider the Connell purchase.

25 Years Ago

October 1997

– Council approves deal for new hospital without obstetrics unit – “I think it is about time this baby was born on the freeway,” said Novato City Councilmember Mike DiGiorgio in joining the rest of the city council in approving an agreement for a new Novato Community Hospital to be built alongside Highway 101 near the DeLong Avenue overpass. The council’s approval of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sutter Health clears the way for construction of a replacement hospital for the current facility on Hill Road. Sticking point, as it has been for more than a year, is Sutter Health officials’ insistence that it is not financially feasible for the new hospital to include an obstetrics unit.

– The Carson & Barnes Circus raised its Big Top in Novato, had its animals inspected by little kids, veterinarians and humane officials, and put on two sold-out performances of a five—–ring circus. This is absolutely terrific, just looking around and seeing all the smiles on the kids’ faces,” said a jubilant George Silvestri, president of the Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise, the organization that sponsored the circus. The event was a fundraiser for the Novato Theater Restoration Committee and the Novato skateboard park.

– Private family services will be held for Ret. U.S.A.F. Lt. Col. Eugene R. “Gene” Trombley of Novato, who served his country as a pilot and his community in several civic arenas. A native of Detroit, Mr. Trombley joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942 and served as a command pilot during World War II. Mr. Trombley and his wife first came to Novato in 1957, so when they returned here after his retirement he was well acquainted with the community. In the 1960s and 1970s, he operated Trombley’s Hardware in the Tresch Triangle on Novato Boulevard. He retired in 1973 or 1974. In 1961, Mr. Trombley chaired the first board of directors for the Boys Club of Novato. Over the years the organization grew and evolved and is now known as the Novato Youth Center.