Historic building may be on the move
The future looked bleak for the historic Pallesen apartments in December. I mean wrecking-ball bleak. A deal fell through to move the 1910 building a few blocks from its current location at Reed and First streets in downtown San Jose, and the developer of the residential high-rise set to go in its place was set to demolish it in February. But now, a month after it was expected to be reduced to rubble, the Pallesen building got a reprieve if not a future. The developer of the 27-story Garden Gate Tower has held off knocking it down, giving the Preservation Action Council time to launch a $300,000 fundraising campaign — its largest ever — to support Habitat for Humanity’s plan to move the two-story Mission Revival building and repurpose it as affordable housing.
“We have reasonable confidence that the stars are aligning and the building will survive on-site long enough for us to renegotiate its move,” Preservation Action Council Executive Director Ben Leech told me this week. “The biggest unknown is if we can raise enough money to actually move it.”
The move wouldn’t be that far — just three blocks to surplus city property wedged next to Interstate 280. PAC-SJ’s campaign cleverly labels it as costing “$25 an inch” for the 900-foot journey. If you want to donate, or just get more details, go to preservation.org/pallesen.
The gas meters have been removed and other preliminary work has begun to prepare the four-unit building for its big move, though there are other details besides the money to hammer out. But the collaboration seems solid among PAC-SJ, Habitat for Humanity, the city of San Jose, developers KT Urban and Scape, and community partners including Garden City Construction and individuals to make this a reality.
So what changed? It seems like all the parties involved — spurred on by community members — just decided to focus on saving the building instead of pointing fingers about who promised what to whom.
“This undertaking is exactly the kind of collaboration and creative problem-solving needed to address the housing crisis faced daily throughout the Bay Area,” said Janice Jensen, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. “All of this has come together in common purpose with Habitat for Humanity so we can hopefully save this beautiful building and repurpose existing land and structural resources to make homeownership affordable for families who would be otherwise priced out of the opportunity.”
A BOOK WITH BUZZ>> For years, Roger and Linda Dahlberg lived on South 14th Street in San Jose’s Naglee Park neighborhood, with a garden that took up the entire front of the house. Lots of flowers, and a fountain, meant lots of insects and a few other curious critters, which Linda started photographing. With the help of entomologists, she identified about 170 unique species of insects, including a rare Japanese carpenter bee.
She occasionally posted photos on Facebook, and her friends encouraged her to “do a book,” as friends will do. But she never had the time until the couple moved to the Villages residences in 2019. “Everyday Hidden Wonders” is a 128-page book collecting photos of flowers, insects and wildlife along with haiku poetry. An index in the back includes notes on all the different plants and creatures included.
Linda’s friend and former Naglee Park neighbor Lynda Sereno put together a socially distanced book signing a few Sundays ago on the patio of the House of Bagels on 11th and San Carlos, which drew dozens of people. If you want to check it out — and it’s a nice reminder we’re heading into spring — the book is available in paperback on Amazon.com for $19.95. SAME TIME NEXT YEAR? >> Around this time last year, I wrote a column about Willow Glen resident Lenore Luedemann, who had celebrated her 106th birthday with friends inside the Three Flames restaurant on Meridian Avenue. Brings back memories, doesn’t it?
Well, Luedemann turned 107 on Wednesday, but neighbor Ilko Vuica let me know there would be no party this year, just socially distanced celebrating at her home, decorated with “Happy Birthday” signs on the lawn. Last year, Mary Anne Groen, the chief of staff for San Jose City Councilwoman Dev Davis, said plans were in the works to celebrate Luedemann’s longevity in person when it was safe to do so. We’re not there yet, but let’s hope she doesn’t have to wait until she turns 108.