BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The transformation of a 135-year-old building is taking place practically smack-dab in the middle of downtown Bakersfield, and it promises to energize 19th Street in more ways than one.
The 1200 block of 19th Street has been mostly vacant for decades, but it’s undergoing a makeover that could revitalize not only that stretch of storefronts but also encourage more positive change throughout downtown.
The building, which opened in about 1890 as a two-story hotel, will, sometime in 2026, be reborn as a 2,200 square foot deli or grocery, a small restaurant or sandwich shop, and an 8,000-square-foot rock climbing gym.
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The newly winged structure, redesigned by David Erb of Elevate Architecture, will also incorporate an existing sushi restaurant and sign company, which face around the corner on L Street…