Update: Restoring 707 Christmas Circle

April 21th, 2025 Update

Mitzi Matijevich via Facebook

"I have walked by this sign numerous times without giving it much thought… til a few days ago. The water main at our museum was run over and obliterated sending water everywhere. I made one phone call and very quickly found myself with a porch full of people to help. The water district was here in minutes, 3 plumbers were on their way and another 3 people that were at the ready to help. It was the end of the day, dinner time, so anyone of them could have easily had an excuse but they stayed and made sure it was fixed ensuring the building had water so I could continue with the watering schedule and try to save our olive trees. I am so incredulous to and for this community and the lovely people within it.

This experience reiterated my strong desire to celebrate US, all of us, through Stories of Borrego. I have been hard focused on reclaiming this building we all love to ensure it remains here for all of us to enjoy. I will post another 707 update in the next week or so.

While the actual building has been my primary focus, rest assured that I am dedicated to OUR stories, our history and that work is happening on that front. Many of you stop by our building, engage me at a restaurant or on social media to get updates or share your enthusiasm for building and the forthcoming Museum of Borrego. I enjoy sharing in that with you as it is OURS. Please continue to bring your stories and enthusiasm!! I am SO looking forward to revealing the very simple but tied to history logo for the Stories of Borrego (oral history) part of the museum, I will share it and those key updates very soon. I am so excited about this buildings future as well as preserving our communitys oral histories and presenting for us to enjoy together."

April 17th, 2025 Update

Mitzi Matijevich via Facebook

“The old Borrego Sun Building”, is how this building is often referenced. There is a palpable love for this structure, and a deep respect for the wealth of stories, excitement and archives it once oversaw as a bustling newspaper. It seems no one refers to it as the bank it originally was. Be that out of reverence for the its mid-century architecture, it’s placement in that design timeline, the prominent location on Christmas Circle or the buildings rightful place in Borrego’s history, the town’s love for the structure is very apparent, however it is referenced. I simply refer to it as 707 or MoB. Not out of disregard to its historical significance but out of hope for its future.

I recently arrived at our future museum to find a couple folks from our community on the porch. They had stopped by to check in on me or share a story or an idea. Then one by one, another person then another and another. Within minutes there was a wonderful gathering people who had come to this place to share in it and be a part of something special that transcends any perceptions of boundaries. It absolutely choked me up, there were individuals from the many different circles in this town and this museum, the promise of it touched every one. There were no silos, no factions, just the gift of togetherness. That is exactly my hope for this building at 707 Christmas Circle. My design perspective and a significant portion of the work being done is geared towards creating openness and accessibility. I am so excited to see who joins me on the porch each day, what history will they bring with them? What stories will we share? How fun it is to have dreams come true!

Time had seen us lose a lot of our historical structures. Ensuring that this one not only remains but is reclaimed and properly restored is a matter I take to heart. After decades of deferred maintenance, there exists a plethora of tasks to be brought current, areas severely in need of cleaning, distressed trees in need of tending…  and and and.. a bunch of tasks that our building requires and they all take time because this building deserves right over rushed. Social media is still not something that occupies my mind so I haven’t had a recent update. Much of the tasks are just tasks. A few of the more notable are that all the holes in the walls from replacing plumbing have been patched and will be sanded and primed soon. The doors and windows are being adjusted and retrimmed where necessary. Some of the regrouting of the original tile has been completed and will be sealed soon. More aging electrical is being addressed as is the need for current irrigation. The bricks that were not original but had at some point been placed against the building creating both a visual stop to the buildings intended design lines as well as advanced deterioration were removed. Their removal restored the building’s mid-century lines but also revealed problems with the stucco along the eastern wall, deterioration of the lower area of the doors and windows on the gathering porch AND a wood roof that was near collapse as the support beams had rotted through. Those are braced at the moment and the proper wood is being acquired to replace them. The stucco has been repaired and is prepped for paint. The wood trim needs repairs, replacement and paint. I hope to see most of that completed by end of May. 

I hold great sincerity in being a good steward of our historical building OUR building and OUR stories. It keeps me up at night.

At this point, there are no millionaire’s behind me, it’s just me, a regular gal, great as I am, sometimes the tasks at hand for the building, the museum, capturing the oral histories get both overwhelming and underwhelming. Over because there is lot at hand to do and under because I want to do the fun part like paint or wallpaper but instead I’m removing rat remains or cleaning blood splatter out of the electrical room, trying not to wonder why it is there but trusting that having an actual door will prevent that in the future. Sometimes, this feels hard, sometimes, I feel alone. On those days, my absolute love for this building, sincere belief in the importance of historical preservation, the sharing of OUR stories and creating an open space that touches and inspires everyone, moves me forward, it is just sometimes slower than any of us would like. Right over rushed!"

Mitzi Matijevich via Facebook

"707 Christmas Circle has certainly been the pot of gold for me! Yes, it is a LOT of work and over budget but I get great joy seeing this wonderful building returning. Sharing the vision and process with you has been such an unexpected gift. I have a grest appreciation for the care and passion each of you have for this building and enjoy the stories you share.

This isn’t a super sexy update with beautiful end result photos, it is more of the “unseen” series . The building was outright missing a door in the back and had partial doors on both back sides. There are now three new doors, which had to be special ordered as the door sizes were smaller when the building was constructed. Thankfully, the building is now fully secured.

The other “unseen” is that the plumbing was original iron and quite rusted, rotted and weeping. All has now been replaced which gives the feeling that we are moving forward and really getting things done…  til I see all the holes in the walls!  Luckily, I have the best crew who are committed to and enjoying the process as well as beginning their own Stories of Borrego. (This is only part of my dynamic team)."

Do you have a story to tell? Email: mystory@storiesofborrego.com

Fast Facts: 707 Christmas Circle

• Commonly referred to as “The old Borrego Sun building”
• Originally built as a bank, later housed the Borrego Sun newspaper
• Now being restored to serve as the Museum of Borrego (MoB)
• Locally known as “707”
• Mid-century architectural lines are being preserved and restored
• All original plumbing (rusted iron) has been replaced
• Three new doors installed—custom sizes due to the original construction
• Doors and windows are being realigned and retrimmed
• Stucco repairs completed; prepping for paint
• Rotted support beams on the porch roof are being replaced
• Landscaping includes cleanup of distressed trees and new irrigation planning
• Electrical upgrades are in progress
• All brickwork not original to the building has been removed
• Restoration guided by the principle: “Right over rushed”
• Community members frequently stop by to share memories and stories
• Project led entirely by local effort—no outside funding or investors
• Mitzi Matijevich is overseeing the work with a hands-on approach
• Targeting major visible progress by the end of May