mark ▁water ▁tower , ▁which ▁is ▁actually ▁in ▁another ▁nearby ▁area ). ▁The ▁Tower ▁District ▁neighborhood ▁is ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁dow nt own ▁F res no ▁proper , ▁and ▁one - half ▁mile ▁south ▁of ▁F res no ▁City ▁College . ▁Although ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁resident ial ▁area , ▁the ▁early ▁commercial ▁establish ments ▁of ▁the ▁Tower ▁District ▁began ▁with ▁small ▁sh ops ▁and ▁services ▁that ▁f locked ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁shortly ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁character ▁of ▁small ▁local ▁business es ▁largely ▁remains ▁today . ▁To ▁some ▁extent , ▁the ▁business es ▁of ▁the ▁Tower ▁District ▁were ▁developed ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁proxim ity ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁F res no ▁Normal ▁School ▁( l ater ▁renamed ▁California ▁State ▁University ▁at ▁F res no ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁the ▁college ▁moved ▁to ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁F res no ▁City ▁College ▁one - half ▁mile ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Tower ▁District . ▁ ▁This ▁v ibr ant ▁and ▁cult ur ally ▁diverse ▁area ▁of ▁ret ail ▁business es ▁and ▁resid ences ▁experienced ▁a ▁renew al ▁after ▁a ▁significant ▁decl ine ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁After ▁dec ades ▁of ▁neglect ▁and ▁sub urban ▁flight , ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁rev ival ▁followed ▁the ▁re - open ing ▁of ▁the ▁Tower ▁Theatre ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁which ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁showed ▁second - ▁and ▁third - run ▁mov ies