What’s Next For Historic Petaluma's Mutual Relief Building

PETALUMA, CA — An ornate turn-of-the-century building towers over Old Town Petaluma, and local architecture and history buffs are determined to see it preserved.

The Mutual Relief Building, a historic landmark, is for sale and residents are wondering what is next for downtown Petaluma once it is sold. Perched at the corner of Kentucky Street and Western Avenue, the three-story brick edifice bears the marks of history as well as architectural features of another age.

Offered for sale by Remax Realty for just under $5 million, the 11,752-square-foot building on Iron Front Row is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by San Francisco Bay Area architect John M. Curti, and constructed in 1885, according to listing agent David L. Rendino and historian Katherine Rinehart.

Since the first brick was laid, the structure served as a college, a bank, and the Mutual Relief Society life insurance hub. Though it was once considered the “crowning glory of Western Avenue,” it is now in need of a new owner who locals hope will respect the building's varied history.

Rinehart discussed the many changes the building has seen over the years standing sentinel over Petaluma.

Each window is elaborately decorated with cast iron surrounds applied to the stuccoed brick facade.

“What further distinguishes this building is the developed central bay with complex layers of cast iron ornamentation complete with free-standing columns painted in faux marble,” Rinehart wrote. “The Italianate bracketed cornice is crowned with a pediment over the main bay, making it even more prominent within the three-story mixed-use building.”

It was rehabilitated in 1997, and seismic retrofitting was completed to maintain its sturdiness, yet it still bears the Kentucky Street-facing ‘Drink Coca-Cola’ billboard, which has stood the test of time.

Today, the building often appears on marketing materials that showcase Petaluma’s remarkable architecture and history.

Inside, the building features a grand staircase leading to the upper floors, a 1,500 square-foot ballroom with soaring ceilings, built-in glass cabinetry, a faux metal ceiling, a fireplace, a walk-in bank vault and hardwood floors throughout.

“The building is zoned as mixed-use,” allowing both residential and commercial occupancy, the realtor said. Downstairs, there is a hair salon while the second floor is leased monthly to residential tenants who share a communal kitchen. The third floor is less defined but could be used as office space.

The space is well-preserved and highly visible on the corner of Western Avenue and Kentucky Street.

What would you do with it?