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Don and Leslie Budinger Don Budinger and his wife Leslie are lifetime benefactors of the Coronado Historical Association. CHA’s current headquarters would not be possible without the visionary and philanthropic assistance of the Budingers, which began in 1999 and continues to this day. Soon after moving their summer home from the mountains of Arizona to Coronado, Don and Leslie had the idea to purchase and renovate the historic 1100 Orange Avenue landmark. Designed in 1910 by nationally-recognized San Francisco based architects MacDonald and Applegarth, the neo-classical building features many Beaux-Arts elements such as a symmetrical plan and monumental columns. The Budingers invested millions to restore the exterior of the building to its initial grandeur, revealing the large plate glass windows at the street level and resurfacing the exterior. The majestic building has had several uses over the years, starting with the Bank of Commerce and Trust, then the Bank of America, and lastly the Marcos restaurant. 1999 was a milestone year for CHA. On its 30th anniversary, the Budingers gifted the historic 1100 Orange Avenue building to CHA allowing CHA to move its headquarters, museum, and collections repository from their location on Loma Avenue
P56 | Coronado Magazine