Jacobs Entertainment removed historic house from downtown Reno and National Register

Mike Higdon | Reno Gazette-Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Jacobs Entertainment demolishes another motel west of downtown Reno Jacobs Entertainment is buying and demolishing motels in west downtown quickly. Stardust Lodge was another one destroyed Nov. 15, 2017.

The historic Borland-Clifford House on Fourth and Ralston streets was disassembled and lifted onto wheels this week. The house, until now listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significant 19th-century architecture, will be moved out of downtown Reno.

The Borland-Clifford House, built in 1875, is one of the only Reno houses remaining from the 19th century. If the house is moved without approval from the National Park Service, it will be automatically deleted from the National Register of Historic Places, according to National Park Service regulations.

"To date, we have not been contacted by the property owner," a National Park Service spokesperson told the RGJ.

House bought for $720,000, sold for $10

Listing the house on the national register doesn't protect it, but it can make the house eligible for federal funds. The register also separates properties that represent history from properties that are just old, according to the National Park Service. Properties must meet rigorous criteria to be listed.

Jacobs Entertainment, the Colorado-based company buying multiple blocks of Fourth and Fifth streets then demolishing what's on them, bought the house for $720,000. The company then sold the house to Archie Granata, a local buyer, for $10.

Nevada Structure Movers was contracted to move the house to the 1700 block of South Arlington Avenue between Mt. Rose Street and Plumb Lane.

“As a lifelong resident of Reno, it gives me great pleasure and excitement to assist Jacobs in relocating and preserving this house,” Granata said in a news release. “The house reflects both an interesting piece of history and architecture. We look forward to continuing its legacy.”

The RGJ requested more information about Granata's plans for the house and will update the story if it receives new information.

Historic listing status also related to location

The status of the Borland-Clifford House's historic listing is also related to its location and context within a historic part of the city, according to the National Register. The 19th century house was in a new residential part of Reno west of downtown. Its neighboring houses contributed to Reno's divorce industry thought it is recognized as an example of Gothic Revival architecture used as a single-family house for more than a century.

The new location will surround it with midcentury houses and mansions that showed up after the divorce industry declined. Re-listing the house to the National Register of Historic Places may be harder to achieve, according to National Park regulations.

The relocation of the Borland-Clifford House is part of Jacobs Entertainment’s project to redevelop the West Fourth Street corridor into a $500 million arts, residential and entertainment area, according to a news release.

WATCH: Jacobs Entertainment demolishes another motel west of downtown Reno

CEO Jeff Jacobs has not publicly released specific information about his project in the future "Fountain District" he plans to develop in the now mostly abandoned wasteland of west downtown Reno.

In an email to the RGJ yesterday, Jacobs said he might release information to the public in late August. Last time the RGJ asked, he said July.

The name "Fountain District" may also be under revision. Jacobs said his marketing people are working on it.

In addition to the Borland-Clifford House, Jacobs Entertainment spokesperson said the company will preserve all the neon signs from buildings and motels along the corridor.

The RGJ located those signs, disassembled, in a closed auto body shop on Fourth Street.

The Nystrom Guest House, a similar divorce-industry historic house on the National Register next door, is also slated to be moved out of downtown Reno by Jacobs next.

Mike Higdon is the city life reporter at the RGJ and can be found on Instagram @MillennialMike, on Facebook at Mike Higdon, Reno Life and on Twitter @MikeHigdon.