Bay Area Andreotti Family Fundraises To Rebuild Barn Lost In Fire

HALF MOON BAY, CA — The Andreottis' produce barn stood in Half Moon Bay for more than a hundred years, beckoning passersby on Kelly Avenue for decades. But on Friday, the historic landmark was destroyed in a fire.

Dozens of firefighters deployed to the Andreotti farm just after 8 p.m. Friday as flames engulfed the barn that was built on the farm years before the family bought the land in 1926. The two-alarm fire threatened other buildings but was contained to the barn in less than 30 minutes, a Cal Fire spokesperson said. The fire also destroyed dry crops and heritage seeds near the barn.

Anyone who lives in the intimate coastal community of Half Moon Bay likely witnessed the fire Friday night, Dawn Dillman told Patch. Dillman has children with and is the partner of Frank Andreotti, who now manages all of the farming on the property.

Even as the fire was raging, Dillman said people had already begun reaching out to the Andreotti family, who all live on the farm, to offer their support.

"We are completely touched and kind of in awe of the amount of outreach that our community has already generated and started last night before the fire was even out," Dillman said.

As of Tuesday morning, a GoFundMe fundraiser initiated by the family had garnered more than $8,500. The family's goal is to raise $150,000 to rebuild the beloved building. "We're hanging in there, and everyone is safe," Dillman said. "But there is nothing left of it, just rubble."

The rustic barn at 329 Kelly Ave. is where Frank Andreotti and his parents, Terry and Dino Andreotti, and their children and grandchildren sold their fruit and vegetables to the peninsula community over the last 60 years.

More recently, the third- and fourth-generation farmers expanded the barn's hours to seven days a week from the usual three to help supply the community with fresh food as frantic shoppers emptied grocery stores during the early months of the pandemic.

"This older couple helped build this lovely coastal town — let's help them rebuild their lives and reopen our beloved Andreotti Family Produce Stand in their same Kelly Avenue location," the GoFundMe page reads, referring to Terry and Dino Andreotti.

In the meantime, the family will erect a temporary tent or a shelter just down the road at the farm's driving range to sell fruit and vegetables.

"If anyone is wanting to help, we are encouraging people to frequent and use the Oceanview Driving Range, which is also located on the farm near where the fire was," Dillman said. "It's going to serve as the only income for Miss Terry and Dino senior while we're trying to figure out how to rebuild the barn."

Aside from raising the money to rebuild the stand, the family will also have to seek rebuilding permits from the city, which could complicate matters. "We will need all the support we get to fast-track rebuild permits at the city level," Dillman said. "So any contact people can make with the planning department at the city would be helpful as well."

Dino Andreotti's father, who was also named Dino, and his wife, Julia Benedetti, bought the land in 1926 and began farming artichokes, beans and broccoli. Frank is their grandson. The family of farmers was among the first to join the farmers market movement in 1943 when it began selling goods at the Alemany Market in San Francisco, according to the farm's website.

The farm is also known for its seasonal pumpkin patch, corn maze and year-round driving range.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.

Bay City News contributed to this report.