Schweninger Building

The Schweninger Building (also known as the Carmel Bakery) is a historic mixed-use commercial building in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was built in 1899, by Artie Bowen for Fritz Schweninger. It is an example of Vernacular style. The structure is recognized as an important commercial building in the city's Downtown Conservation District Historic Property Survey, and was nominated and submitted to the California Register of Historical Resources on July 25, 2002. The building has been occupied by the Carmel Bakery since 1899.

History


The Schweninger Building, (sometimes spelled Schweinger), is a two-story false front Victorian wood frame commercial Vernacular-style building on Ocean Avenue between Dolores and Lincoln Streets in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Artie Bowen constructed the building in 1899 for Fritz Seraphin Schweninger (1867-1918).

The building has vertical board and batten siding on the upper story with two bay windows with a shingled hipped roof. The ground floor has a large bay showcase display window with two doors, one leading to the upper floor and the second, a Dutch door that leads to the bakery. The original owner, Fritz Schweninger, lived in the apartment above the bakery for many years. The overall details of the building are similar to those found in photographs of 1910-1920.

The bakery was successful, but in September 1917, the Schweninger announced they would close the business to spend more time with a grocery business they had acquired two lots west of the bakery. The bakery sat vacant throughout 1918-1919 and reopened as the Carmel Bakery in April 1920 under a lease to Carl Husemann. The building was leased to several other people who ran the bakery. The Schweninger heirs sold the building to Charles and Doris Rayne in 1963. The Pèpe family bought the bakery building from the Rayne family in 2013, having operated the bakery since the 1980s.

The building qualifies for inclusion in the city's Downtown Conservation District Historic Property Survey, and has been nominated and submitted to the California Register of Historical Resources on July 25, 2002, by Richard N. Janick. The property is significant under the California Register criterion 3, in architecture, as one of two wood frame commercial building still remaining on the south side of Ocean Avenue, with two second story false-front window bays, that date back to the 1910s. The building has housed a commercial bakery since it was established by Fritz Seraphin Schweninger in 1899. The other building of similar design is the Adam Fox Building located two blocks to the east of Ocean Avenue. The two buildings are the oldest buildings before the incorporation of Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1916.

Several additions and remodelings took place over the years. In 1920, an addition to the rear of the building was done for $2.000. A new store front was done by Michael J. Murphy in 1939 for $500. In 1960, contractor Ben Logan architect Elston & Cranston did an addition to the rear bakery kitchen for $17,000. In 1964, a new store front for the bakery was done by contractor Comstock & Associates for $1,000. A remodel of the front interior showcase was done in 1968 for $3,000.