One of downtown Sacramento's blandest buildings is getting some history-laden adornments.

The boxy AT&T equipment facility on J Street between 14th and 15th streets has been wrapped with large photos capturing the company's local and California history.

One side, facing Memorial Auditorium on 15th Street, shows early 1900s photos from big-crowd events held there over the years.

Before being installed on the walls, the photos were "burned" onto multiple ceramic tiles – a process that took place in Italy and Oroville – then mounted on the walls in mosaic fashion.

Caption blocks are going up this week to complete the project, which has been in the works for about five years.

The project was inspired by City Councilman Steve Cohn, who "wasn't pleased with how the building looked from the street," says Judy Goldbar, the Sacramento Convention Center's general manager and the city's point person on the project.

AT&T was receptive to making changes but found it difficult to raise money for the $200,000 project, says Tim Ray, AT&T's Northern California executive director of external affairs.

"It took a while (to assemble the funding) but we're very proud" of the result, Ray says.

The 22 images – some of them 5 by 9 feet, others 3 by 5 – are captivating. Among them: Sacramento Valley photos from the late 1800s and early 1900s showing phone company linemen and switchboard operators at work. The Memorial Auditorium images include a prize fight, a circus and a 1928 performance of "The Messiah."

Goldbar says the project brings aesthetic improvements to the AT&T facility while providing historical interest.

"It's definitely softened the look of the building," she says. "It's not just a corridor of walls (anymore). It's a corridor with a story."

Up to speed

Construction finally has begun on chef Rick Mahan's newest eatery – his OneSpeed neighborhood diner at 4818 Folsom Blvd.

Mahan – owner of the highly acclaimed Waterboy restaurant in midtown Sacramento – expects to have the new place open by mid-March.

"It will be first and foremost a neighborhood restaurant," he says, opening at 4 p.m. each day and serving mostly pizza and pasta dishes. It will be available earlier in the day for catered business meetings.

Mahan had hoped to open OneSpeed in 2008, but traditional financing was hard to find. In lieu of a bank loan, he turned to his longtime Waterboy customers, who chipped in nearly all of the $650,000 he needed – in units of $25,000 each.

"I still have one (unit) to sell," he says, "but that's not stopping me. I'll get another credit card (for the remainder) if I have to."

Old school

Turns out Tim Collom isn't the only Sacramentan practicing the venerable art of door-to-door sales.

We heard from several others following our item last week about the Windermere Dunnigan real estate agent who spends an hour each weekday knocking on doors to meet potential clients.

Doing much the same thing is independent Roseville insurance agent Bob Laywell.

He reports "prospecting" door to door on an almost-daily basis.

"It's one of the best ways to meet people, and most of the folks are positive," he says. "I just tell (them), I'm turning back the clock to the good ol' days and want to introduce myself in person."

As for Collom, he says our item generated positive reactions. Except for one call from someone with little love for solicitors.

"He asked me where I lived," Collom says. When asked why, the caller responded with a chuckle: "So I can come over and knock on your door."

Reach Bob Shallit at (916) 321-1049. Back columns: www.sacbee.com/shallit.