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Redwood City’s Fitzpatrick Professional Center

The first bank of Redwood City that was later sold to Wells Fargo Bank. The economic growth and development of Redwood City came about by The Bank of San Mateo County. This Bank of San Mateo County handled the monies for the rebuild of San Francisco after the 1906 quake and fire. The Bank was also instrumental in forming the San Mateo County charter. Bank of San Mateo County was an important element to Redwood City history.

Bank of San Mateo County known today as Redwood City’s Fitzpatrick Professional Center.  This building  is within the  Main Street Historical District.

The Bank of San Mateo building is a two-story wood-framed masonry building consisting of 5,760 square feet of floor area. The Bank of San Mateo building damaged severely during the San Francisco 1906 Fire and Earthquake.  After which the building was rebuilt over the next four years and completed in 1910.

The style of this building can be termed as being renaissance. It’s columned portico, in the round, with a cupola on the corner, metal raking cornices, and giant-order sandstone pilasters.

On the corner of Broadway and Main Street, which was the heart of early Redwood City.  It was next door to The Diller or P.P. Chamberland store and was one of the original stores in Redwood City.  Built by William Shaw in 1852.  In 1868, the store opened and became part with the adjacent building (going up Broadway) by John Crowleg and the Grand Hotel.

The Grand Hotel caught fire and burnt to the ground in 1897. Once the removal of the burnt debris the corner became a weekly site for concerts by the Redwood City Band for the next two years.  Much like the current Courthouse Square Concerts on Friday nights.

In 1900, the Bank of San Mateo County, incorporated in 1891, moved into their new their new building on the corner and stay in this site for the next 40 years. Considered by most as the financial symbol of Redwood City.  After the San Francisco Fire and Earthquake of 1906 the Bank of San Mateo County moved back into their refurbished building for another 30 years.

In 1940 the Bank of San Mateo County moved into their new building across the street from their present site and was later absorbed by Wells Fargo Bank.

Currently, the Bank of San Mateo is known as The Fitzpatrick Professional Center, which includes The Borrone’s Building, and The Crosby Group.  Together all three property owners added their buildings as part of the Redwood City historic commercial district. These three buildings are historic landmarks and the Fitzpatrick Building is the only structure in Redwood City listed on the National Registry of Historic Structures.