Tijuana's Historic Buildings Eligible for Cultural Heritage Designation

Tijuana's Historic Buildings Eligible for Cultural Heritage Designation
By Maria E Curry
May/June 2023

There are 76 buildings eligible for cultural heritage designation in Tijuana, according to the 1995 Baja California preservation law (Ley de Preservación del Patrimonio Cultural). The eligible buildings are 20 bungalows, 19 commercial buildings, 11 schools, seven hotels, six movie theaters, four churches, four houses, four government buildings, and one bullring.

Eligible historic buildings are those associated with the social, economic, and cultural history of Baja California. They must also be more than 49 years old.


The 1947 Francisco I. Madero School, Calle España 2782, is part of Colonia Madero, in an area nicknamed Zona Dorada. Land is expensive here, and many high-rise buildings are replacing old buildings. The school’s facade includes classical elements and the interior is appealingly formal. Owned by the federal government, the school retains historic integrity and is well-maintained.

Only two buildings in Tijuana have been designated since 1995. They are the former Municipal Palace in the Neocolonial style and the former Alvaro Obregón School in a Classic Eclectic style. The school is an exact copy of the Fourth Street School in Yuma, Arizona, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. What remains of the Agua Caliente Casino and the 1957 Modernist post office designed in the International and Functionalistic style are in the process of being designated. Read about early efforts to save the post office and see historic photos.

Some of the most threatened buildings that need to be designated before they are demolished or altered are the 1960s Bullring by the Sea in Playas de Tijuana and downtown commercial buildings threatened by developers who want to modernize them or replace them with high-rise buildings. The 20 bungalows from the 1920s Agua Caliente resort and nearby houses are also in great danger. Art Deco style movie theaters, such as the Cine Bujazán, which was partially destroyed by a fire, or the Gran Cinema, can survive only if they continue to attract large enough audiences. All eleven schools on the list are government-owned and well-maintained.


This 1923 house on Agua Caliente Avenue was built by Enrique Silvestre, father of Eduardo Silvestre, a wrestler who became Mr. Universe in 1958. The house has spectacular Romanesque and Gothic elements, as seen in a recent photo. Although eligible for designation, the second photo shows construction underway that has added commercial space, affecting the home’s original facade. Black and white photo courtesy of Gabriel Rivera Delgado

The 1950s Nelson Hotel at Avenida Revolución #721 is not on the official list of eligible cultural heritage sites, but qualifies because it is more than 49 years old. Its Art Moderne design and corner location at the entrance to Tijuana, coming from the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego, makes it an iconic Tijuana landmark. All photos by Maria Curry except where otherwise noted.

The list of Tijuana’s eligible historic buildings includes only four houses, one of which was greatly altered in 2022: he 1923 house of Enrique Silvestre, father of the famous wrestler Eduardo Silvestre, who became Mister Universe in 1958. The house lost its Romanesque appeal when it was modernized, but it is still eligible to be listed as cultural heritage. Almost every day, another old house in the oldest neighborhoods is demolished and replaced. Already gone are the 1950s Tropicana Motel, the 1904 St. Francis Hotel, and the 1944 Chiki Jai restaurant.

I am working with the Preservation Commission in Tijuana to update the list and bring it to the attention of local authorities. I am hopeful that in recognizing important cultural resources and their significance in the historic and cultural identity of Tijuana that we can prevent municipal officials from granting excessive demolition permits.

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