Downtown Fresno lovers expressed concern this week when a Fresno historian reached out to the community to establish the provenance of six bronze panels alleged to have come from the historic Helm Building.

The Schoelkopf Gallery wanted to confirm the plaques done by sculptor Jacques Schnier came from the elevators of the downtown Fresno building, according to Kevin Enns-Rempel, administrator for HistoricFresno.org. Enns-Rempel formerly sat on Fresno’s Historic Preservation Commission.

But a call to the Helm Building’s ownership shows Schnier appears to have made more than one set, and that the pieces can still be seen there.

“People had become upset thinking that the panels had been taken from the elevator,” Enns-Rempel said. “It’s an interesting story and, thankfully, it doesn’t represent any sort of bad behavior on anyone’s part.”

No Need to Fear, Downtown Fresno Lovers. Artwork Still in Place.

After learning about the potential sale of the bronze panels, Enns-Rempel took to the For the Love of Downtown Fresno group page, seeking information on the pieces. The post garnered a lot of interest.

Many Facebook users said they wanted the panels brought back to Fresno if they were no longer there. But pictures from 2015 from downtown Fresno booster Christopher Rocha showed the panels still in place. With the gallery able to establish provenance back to 1986, Enns-Rempel had full confidence the Helm Building plaques were still in place.

A call by GV Wire to the Pacific Southwest Building management — which shares the same ownership as the Helm Building — confirmed the panels were still in place. The images appear to be the same, according to the manager.

People had asked if the panels were from the upper floors, but Enns-Rempel doubted builders would undertake that kind of expense.

“You spend all the money on the lobby, where it makes the biggest impact,” Enns-Rempel said.

A request for comment from Schoelkopf Gallery was not returned in time for publication.

Related Story: Fresno’s Vibrant Mural Scene: A Canvas of Culture and Creativity

Schnier’s Pieces Only a Part of Major 1936 Transformation for Helm

Made in 1936, the six panels from Schnier came at a time the Helm Building undertook a significant transformation. That year, owners spent $100,000 to modernize the 10-story building at Fulton and Mariposa streets, according to a Fresno Bee article.

“Completion of the major part of one of the largest modernization programs ever undertaken in a Fresno business structure was announced to-day by the management of the Helm Building at the northwest corner of Fulton and Mariposa Streets where about $100,000 is being expended for various improvements,” the article stated.

That $100,000 was no small investment back then, especially considering the building would sell in 1953 for $1 million, according to a Bee article from that year.

One of the major improvements for the Helm? Air conditioning and new drinking fountains with a “constant flow of ice water throughout the warmer seasons.”

The article mentioned the bronze doors on the elevators, which were also upgraded for a faster and smoother operation.

Also in 1936, the edifice took on the “Helm” moniker, changing its name from the Griffith-McKenzie Building, the Bee reported.

Once again, the Helm Building is undergoing significant changes. After years of disrepair, developer Sevak Khatchadourian purchased the building, revitalizing it for mixed-use purposes. He has converted the bottom floor to retail and has several spaces leased out, with construction continuing there. Housing there would be coming online soon.

Khatchadourian also brought the nearby Pacific Southwest Building back to life, achieving near-full occupancy on what is the tallest building in the Central Valley.

Schnier Not World-Renowned, but a ‘Significant, Serious Artist’: Enns-Rempel

Schnier had sculpted images of grape pressing, oil drilling, cotton baling, grape harvesting, pigs, and sheep, which would have been common sights in the Central Valley, then and now.

Born in Romania, Schnier taught sculpting at UC Berkeley from 1936 to 1966, establishing the department at the university, according to Wikipedia.

The U.S. Mint commissioned the busy Schnier that year to design the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge half dollar to commemorate the bridge’s opening.

Schnier’s works have also been featured in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Oakland Museum of California, and other art spaces.

“He’s not world-renowned, but he is a significant, serious artist,” Enns-Rempel said.