Taco Bell is saving its first fast-food restaurant from the wrecking ball by relocating the iconic 400-square-foot food stand from Downey to its corporate headquarters in Irvine.

“This is arguably the most important restaurant in our company’s history,” said Taco Bell Chief Executive Brian Niccol. “When we heard about the chance of it being demolished, we had to step in. We owe that to our fans; we owe that to Glen Bell.”

RELATED: Photos: What it looked like to move Taco Bell building from Downey to Irvine overnight

Earlier this year, new development for the vacant Firestone Boulevard site triggered demolition plans for the nostalgic building, dubbed “Numero Uno.” An uproar in the community followed. Taco Bell remained relatively quiet, though it did encourage the #SaveTacoBell campaign on social media.

Behind the scenes, however, the chain had been scheming for months to save the structure, famous for its adobe-style archways.

The structure’s 45-mile overnight journey begins at 10:30 p.m. Thursday. It should garner much attention as it traverses the cities of Downey, Norwalk, Cerritos, La Palma, Buena Park, Anaheim, Orange and Tustin. Throughout the four- to five-hour trip, Taco Bell is encouraging fans to follow the relocation via a live webcam.

The structure will be visible as it is trucked through parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties. “We’re lighting this thing like the Fourth of July,” the company said.

Taco Bell founder Glen Bell opened the Downey restaurant in 1962. The walk-up window was surrounded by shops, live music and fire pits. Glen Bell wanted the Taco Bell to look as if it was selling authentic tacos, thus early buildings sported slump stone, arches and tan brick to resemble an adobe house. Most of these early Taco Bell structures have been converted to other uses.

Taco Bell eventually scrapped the look because it needed to build locations with drive-throughs. The Downey restaurant, at 7126 Firestone Blvd., closed as a Taco Bell in 1986. Since then the site has been home to various taqueria shops. It’s been vacant since 2014.

Long Beach-based We Are the Next, a preservation group, has been working with Taco Bell on the relocation effort.

“This building isn’t designed by a famous architect, and it’s not particularly beautiful in the conventional sense. But it does demonstrate how even the most ordinary buildings can tell tremendous stories,” said Katie Rispoli, the preservation group’s executive director.

Taco Bell said the building will remain at its headquarters in storage until a future use is determined.

Marisa Thalberg, chief brand engagement officer, said the fast-food chain will turn to social media to ask fans what the company should do with the building.

“This isn’t a decision that should be made in a boardroom, but a social experience that can allow our biggest fans to truly be a part of Taco Bell history,” Thalberg said.

Bell, along with Ray Kroc of McDonald’s, Carl Karcher of Carl’s Jr. and Harry Snyder of In-N-Out Burger, are considered fast-food pioneers. Their innovative takeout counters and drive-throughs catered to the growing Southern California car culture.

Taco Bell isn’t the only fast-food brand looking to honor its past.

In early 2014, In-N-Out Burger unveiled a 100-square-foot replica of its first burger stand. The Baldwin Park food stand opened in 1948 and was later demolished when I-10 was built.

Preservationist Rispoli said by saving structures like the first Taco Bell in Downey, “We hope to set a precedent and demonstrate the great power that can come from unexpected histories in seemingly ordinary places.”

Contact the writer: nluna@ocregister.com