The old Ross Manor is becoming the new One 18 West Apartments
Jim Mickey, owner of ARCaDESMA Architecture, talks about transforming the old Ross Manor, or Colonial Apartments, into a modern apartment building to be called One18 West Apartments.
One of the ugliest buildings in Reno-Sparks could be replaced. The other has remained a community staple since 2000.
Reno is full of historic buildings that recall the Old West and the city’s role in Nevada’s casino boom.
From the Fleischmann Planetarium to the Lake Mansion to the Silver Legacy, Reno is full of buildings unique in architecture and history. But not every structure is a winner.
A July survey from the New Jersey Real Estate Network listed two Reno-Sparks sites among the nation’s “ugliest” public buildings.
“These aren’t tourist sites or architectural darlings — they’re everyday buildings people interact with when paying a bill, contesting a fine or renewing a license,” read a blog post from the network. “They’re workhorses, not showpieces.”
“But as this survey makes clear, design still matters to residents.”
Here’s what to know about the ranking.
What are the ugliest buildings in Reno, Sparks?
The Fitzgerald Student Services Building on the University of Nevada campus and Sparks City Hall were among the ugliest buildings in the U.S.
Fitzgerald Student Services Building (No. 64): Opened in 2000, the building houses FAFSA, admissions and academic records. The Fitzgerald features a step-like design with angled sections and a rounded front entrance. At the ground level, a Panera Bread serves students on their way across campus.
Sparks City Hall ranked No. 69 in the survey. Many people have driven by the building, with its mix of concrete and brick. It looks like an average government building.
The City of Sparks said the city hall also has “chronic maintenance problems, inadequate security, and overburdened, obsolete office and meeting spaces.”
These significant structural problems mean maintaining city hall open would require using “scarce general fund dollars that could be better invested to maintain and improve services for the Sparks community,” the city said.
Those are among the reasons Sparks is considering buying about eight acres of land near the Sparks Marina for a new city hall.
Is Sparks getting a new city hall?
The City of Sparks Redevelopment Agency will consider using restricted Redevelopment Area 2 funds to purchase the eight acres in the Sparks Marina district for a new city hall at a proposed price of $10 million. The matter is scheduled immediately after the Sparks City Council meeting on Aug. 25.
Survey ranks the top 10 ugliest public buildings in US, with courthouses dominating list
The survey found that more than half of the top 30 ugliest public buildings in the country were courthouses or judicial centers.
That trend wasn’t unexpected, the findings said, as many of the structures were built during the mid- to late 20th century, a period dominated by brutalist and utilitarian designs.
“While they were designed to convey authority and efficiency, today they often come off as cold and fortress-like,” the network said.
The survey focused on visual appeal but also noted how public perception of a building’s look often overlaps with its functionality and upkeep.
A “drab building” may be tolerated if it delivers reliable service, but when it’s also deteriorating and difficult to navigate, dissatisfaction tends to rise, said the network.
Here are the top 10 ugliest public buildings, according to the survey:
- City of Flint Municipal Center (Flint, Michigan)
- Fresno County Superior Court (Fresno, California)
- Buffalo City Court (Buffalo, New York)
- Jackson County Courts Building (Pascagoula, Mississippi)
- Philadelphia Municipal Services Building (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Akron Municipal Court (Akron, Ohio)
- Atlantic City Municipal Court (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
- Bentonville Public Works Maintenance Facility (Bentonville, Arkansas)
- Tuscaloosa County Public Works Building (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
- El Paso County Court Administration Building (El Paso, Texas)
What do you think are the ugliest buildings in Reno?
Now is your chance to have your voice heard. What do you think the ugliest building is in Reno?
Methodology
To determine the ugliest public buildings in the U.S., the real estate network conducted an online panel survey of 3,003 respondents based on age, gender and geographic location.
Internal data sources were used to obtain population data sets.
The network team used a two-step method to ensure the survey results represented the broader population.