FootPrints Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting Historic Resources in the Truckee Meadows through Education, Advocacy and Leadership. vol. 19 no. 3 Summer 2016 The El Renos Today by Debbie Hinman Editor’s Note: The El Reno apartments for divorce had been lowered from for rental properties. One of these at 1461 Lander are on HRPS Endangered three months to six weeks, the lowest was Roland Giroux. In late 1936, he Property List. Second, look for a list of in the nation, and those wishing to purchased Lots 1-8 in Block 3 of the the El Renos on the HRPS website blog. untie the bonds of matrimony were Sierra Vista tract from John Canson. thronging to Reno for their “Reno- This tract was on the South Virginia hat is an El Reno? This is a vation.” These short-term residents Road, just outside the city limits. question no doubt pondered (many of whom would end up staying Instead of building a large structure Wby many prospective walk- to become permanent residents, finding containing apartment units or long rows ing tour participants when they see a lifestyle or new spouse to their liking) of connected units, Giroux had a unique this offering on a HRPS Walking Tour needed temporary housing. Enterprising idea—creating a grouping of fifteen schedule. The subject was first raised would-be landlords were casting about small, free-standing “kit homes.” by Karl Breckenridge in his Reno Gazette Journal “Kit homes” first came columns some years ago into vogue in 1908 when and FootPrints followed up Sears, Roebuck & Co. began on the topic with a story offering house kits through in 2004. So what are they? their widely popular mail- How many are there? And order catalog. The kit would why do those of us who be delivered to a town via a know still care about them? train boxcar, then trucked to the construction site, To answer these questions, to be assembled by the it’s best to begin in the owner, friends or a hired 1936-37 timeframe. Reno contractor. Everything was thriving, moving from would be included: lumber a town to a full-fledged city. (which beginning in 1916 The population was around would be precut to size), 24,000 and its area was windows, hardware, doors, about four square miles. cabinets and every other Just five years previously, El Reno apartment on Lander Street near Mt. Rose Street, 2004. item needed to complete the residency requirement Photo courtesy Sharon Walbridge. the home. Other companies Continued on page 2 1 historicreno.org FootPrints Vol. 19 No. 3, Summer 2016 The El Renos Today (continued) Continued from page 1 the side panels of which cranked out to admit fresh air. At least one existing would follow Sears’ lead, but the Lea unit has an optional small window in Steel Company of Los Angeles, California the living room next to the bay win- would provide a new take on the kit dow. One interesting deviation is that home, eschewing traditional building while the apartments were advertised materials for—steel! as two-bedroom units, at least one was a one-bedroom. Enter a visionary architect. Many HRPS walks discuss the renowned “Architect The framework was all steel; because to the Stars” Paul Revere Williams. of this, modern owners have run into Williams was known in Reno due to his serious challenges trying to modify the residential projects, such as the Raphael homes. The floor of the main living area Herman ranch house to the north of was fir, a strong and resilient wood, the city, and the Louella Garvey home with linoleum in the kitchen and baths. on Nixon and California Avenues, but And baths plural is correct! Unlike the his crowning local achievement was majority of two-bedroom homes of this the First Church of Christ, Scientist vintage, there was a full bathroom in on Riverside Drive (today the Lear the master bedroom and a “half-bath” Theater). Williams’ career spanned 50 or powder room in the second bed- years and his projects totaled 3,000. In room. The Nevada Bell Directory touted 1936, Williams designed two homes the El Renos as: “Ultra-modern indi- for the California House and Garden vidual apartment homes with 24-hour Exhibition contest in Los Angeles. One heat by forced circulation of hot water was a three-room steel home. The idea Interiors of Ron Allen’s “El Reno from a central plant.” of building a home of steel was not a Museum” home, restored inside and Although Giroux may have intended new one; it had been experimented out to the look of the 30s and 40s. to house the 6-week residents of Reno, with since the 1890s but the cost was Photos by the author. the apartment homes were so popular prohibitive. With Lea’s innovative new that permanent residents clamored process of manufacturing prefabricated es, blinds and paint were supplied by to rent them as well. In September steel components, it became an inter- local merchants. A unique touch includ- of 1937, just a month after the open esting option in the realm of home- ed furnishing blankets, towels and house was held, well-connected new- building. Williams became a consulting dishcloths with “El Reno Apartments” lyweds Betty Howell and William architect for the company. embroidered on them, and even supply- Woodburn Jr., whose wedding guest ing El Reno stationery. Roland Giroux ordered fifteen of the list read like a Who’s Who of Nevada, steel home kits, along with a building announced they would be at home The homes were laid out in an attrac- there, following their Southern suitable for a laundry room/power tive formation: there was a semi-circle plant and a block of garages. An ad for California and Mexican honeymoon. of seven homes facing a courtyard end- Baroness Anne Sasse, mother of a Reno the development claimed it would be ing at the South Virginia Road, then the largest collection of steel homes in resident, moved into a unit soon after two rows of four homes facing Pueblo the El Renos were completed and in the west. The block of lots mentioned and Arroyo. The development was beau- above, for which Giroux had obtained the summer of 1938 gave a party in tifully landscaped and all of the homes the gardens which were described on a February 1937 building permit for were white with Imperial Green com- an “auto court” estimated at $50,000, the Women’s Society page as “spa- posite shingle roofs and matching green cious and delightful.” Also in 1938, a would easily accommodate all of the trim. The porcelain-coated exterior steel structures. The lot comprised the nationally famous golfer, Montague panels were styled to resemble board- the Magnificent, was feted at the El 1300 block of the South Virginia Road, and-batten siding. All units were not extending west to Tonopah Street and Reno home of J. O. T. Cartwright, identical, in that some had a left-side Director of Nevada Unlimited, an orga- bounded by Arroyo Street to the north entry and others were “flip-flopped,” and Pueblo Street to the south. Local nization promoting all things Nevada. but they all had the characteristic Bill Harrah occupied one unit from workers were hired to dig the founda- Williams’ decorative ironwork around tions and assemble the homes, overseen 1942-1944 and Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr., the front entry. They all sported a jaun- who spent a great deal of time in Reno by two representatives from Lea Steel ty spinning turbine for ventilation atop Company. Plumbing and electrical work throughout the 1930s and 40s, resided the roofs and their signature feature, in one in 1944. was locally contracted, and all applianc- the large, multi-paned bay window, 2 FootPrints Vol. 19 No. 3, Summer 2016 historicreno.org The El Renos Today (continued) So how did such a desirable apartment it was used as his medical office for Tonopah and Pueblo streets. Ron has complex last for only a ten-year span? many years, then became an attorney’s established a sort of “El Reno Museum” From a contributor to one of Karl office and is now Royce, a beer and in the unit facing Pueblo. He has Breckenridge’s columns came the story wine bar. Two units can be found on carefully restored the apartment with that Giroux needed to raise the rents Plumas Street—one was said to have fresh paint and has refinished the lovely due to rising costs. The rent control too much dry rot to retain the shell and fir floors which now gleam with a red- board refused to allow it, even though now has a stucco exterior. The other gold patina. The bathrooms have their the El Reno residents understood and is the one-bedroom unit mentioned original porcelain sinks and tub and were willing to comply. The story goes above. A second bedroom was later the kitchen has its original sink and that Giroux became angry with the added to the rear and it too sits on a metal cabinets. The casement windows board and made the decision to sell high foundation to make room for an and light fixtures are also original. off the units one by one and be done apartment below. Further south are The pull-down ironing board had with them. Giroux supposedly sold two more: one on Country Club Drive been lost but Ron was able to salvage them for $800 apiece (can you even and one a few streets away on Bonnie a replacement. Ron has furnished the buy a resin Tuff Shed for that price Briar.