Historic Apple Valley Ranchos building makes way for car wash

A new car wash will replace a historic building once used by developer Newton T. Bass’ Apple Valley Ranchos Development Company.

Apple Valley spokeswoman Sarah Krieg told the Daily Press that a 5,400 square-foot automatic car wash will stand on the northeast corner of Dale Evans Parkway and Outer Highway 18. The car wash brand is unknown, but many speculate that it will be a Quick Quack Car Wash, which opened locations in Victorville and Hesperia in 2021.

Property owner Paul Leon used the word “bittersweet” to describe the planned demolition of the 15,000-square-foot office complex, which was built nearly 60 years ago by Bass.

“It’s no longer feasible to own and operate this building,” said Leon, of the structure that sits across from the old Apple Valley Inn and the site of Bass’ Hilltop House, which was demolished last year.

Paul and his wife, Kari Leon, an Apple Valley councilwoman, used most of the office complex for their business, Agio Realty.

“The COVID-19 pandemic really changed everything,” Leon said. “Agents weren't coming in like they did years ago so we didn’t need the space. Back when we were flourishing, we had up to 70 agents.”

Memories made

Built in 1965 by land developer Bass, the office complex was his fourth office since 1946 when he and partner Bernard "Bud" Westlund formed the company.

“Bass would fly clients into the airport across the street, then wine and dine them at the Apple Valley Inn before bringing them here to his agency to sell land,” Leon said. “On some occasions, he’d take them to his house on the hill.”

The Hilltop House was built in 1957 by Bass, mainly to lure potential average and celebrity homeowners such as Bob Hope and Dean Martin.

In 2016, the town purchased the abandoned and dilapidated house and had it razed as it was a liability.

Over the decades, portions of the u-shaped office complex had been used by the town, physicians, professionals and most recently Agio Realty.

“This building once had four birthing rooms where babies were delivered,” Leon said. “They had tubs so the babies could be born in the water.”

The office building was originally constructed in an L-shape, with a wing later constructed on the east side, which allowed for a courtyard with grass, trees, flowers and an arbor, Leon said. The exterior of the building was known for its palm trees, river rock architecture, and beamed ceiling made from the old Tidewater and Tonopah railroad trestle.

Leon said he recently uprooted and moved an olive and three palm trees to his property.

“I have pictures of me and my six grand-kids in the courtyard under the arbor,” Leon said. “That’s just one of many memories that were made here.”

Since purchasing the building nearly 18 years ago, the Leons put hundreds of thousands of dollars into renovating, remodeling and maintaining the building, he said.

“We put on a new roof, replaced the plumbing, built new walls and bathrooms and a whole lot more,” Leon said. “We preserved the building as long as we could, but time changes things. We’re not getting any younger.”

During a tour of the building, Leon showed a large room where three large safes were kept and the original wall-sized Apple Valley plot map that includes Stoddard Jess Ranch, the Black Horse Motel and Yucca Loma Ranch.

“You can see where they used the plot map to mark out properties that were sold,” said Leon, as he stood in a hallway where the map was painted onto the wall.

After the sale closed in December, Leon had until March 13 to vacate the property he said.

Agio Realty’s license is now under Jason and Chris Lamoreaux, who own Coldwell Banker Home Source, Leon said.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Former Apple Valley Ranchos building to be demolished