The Mercury News

New S.J. landmark OK’d, gets backlash

Proposed 200-foot structure of metal rods would sway in wind, be illuminate­d at night

- By Maggie Angst mangst@bayareanew­sgroup.com

San Jose leaders have decided to proceed with plans for constructi­on of a new downtown landmark called “Breeze of Innovation,” which they hope will enhance and shine a bright light on the skyline of the nation’s 10th largest city.

But what was intended as a gift to attract positive attention and create an iconic downtown destinatio­n sparked a backlash from residents and environmen­talists who say the only light it’ll cast will be visual pollution. Others described it as everything from an environmen­tal nightmare to a waste of money.

The proposed structure was selected in March as the top choice among three finalists by a 14-member jury assembled by Urban Confluence Silicon Valley, a nonprofit group created to spearhead the effort. In all, a total of 963 proposals were submitted from 72 countries around the world.

Designed by Fernando Jerez and Belén Pérez de Juan of SMAR Architectu­re Studio, the 200-foot-tall structure proposed for the southern end of Guadalupe River Park consists of 500 steel rods that will sway gently in the wind, generating power to illuminate it at night. The public art display will come with multiple levels of walkways, a cafe, an exhibit space and a viewing platform that should offer expansive views of the valley.

According to SMAR Architectu­re Studio, its design aims to promote the harvesting of clean energy, “in order to trigger, to change perception, to question reality … to inspire.”

The structure will be gifted to the city by the San Jose Light Tower Corporatio­n, an organizati­on that launched an effort nearly five years ago to build an artistical­ly inspired iconic landmark meant to pay tribute to San Jose’s former lighthouse, which stood in downtown from 1881 to 1915.

With the San Jose City Council’s unanimous approval, the corporatio­n now will begin a fundraisin­g effort to cover the cost to build and maintain the structure — a price tag estimated at up to $150 million for constructi­on alone.

Officials hope the fundraisin­g efforts and

project constructi­on will be completed by 2025.

The project must still return to the city council several more times before any shovels start digging up dirt. And city leaders need to sign off on the project fundraisin­g plan, a gift acceptance agreement outlining the San Jose Light Tower Corporatio­n’s expectatio­ns, the project’s final design, an environmen­tal impact report and a business and maintenanc­e management plan.

Opponents of the proposed landmark wrote and called into Tuesday night’s meeting to urge the council to reject the planned design, calling it an “ecological disaster,” “despicable gift,” “harmful source of light pollution” and “waste of philanthro­pic dollars.” They argued the nighttime illuminati­on would cause light pollution harmful not only to wildlife but also to nearby residents.

Dashiell Leeds of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter said that if built, the structure would “become a symbol of environmen­tal destructio­n.”

“By building a structure that emits light at night against the wishes of the community and scientific experts in one of the most ecological­ly sensitive areas of the city, I can’t help but wonder what message this will send,” he said.

Although constructi­on of the project will be funded by private donors, the effort has required some public financing, and will continue to. So far, the city has spent an estimated $43,000 on the project and officials estimate an additional $150,000 worth of staff time will be required next year.

Pamela Campos, a lifelong city resident, argued that philanthro­pic dollars could be better used, especially as residents attempt to recover from the devastatin­g coronaviru­s pandemic.

“I recognize that the city of San Jose has a long history of appeasing the interests of the wealthy and it’s the people of color who are oppressed, particular­ly in East San Jose,” she said. “We have a dire need to invest in that community for the future economic disparity of our citizens.”

Still, the city council emphasized that the proposed piece of public art was a gift and ecological concerns would be addressed in an upcoming environmen­tal impact report, which will be overseen by city staff.

Mayor Sam Liccardo said the landmark “is something that will add significan­tly to our skyline” and “create a statement” that the city has been looking for. Councilmem­ber Dev Davis called it an “iconic structure” that would bring “positive attention” to the city. They both argued that moving the project forward and fully vetting the environmen­tal concerns would allow the city to make a better decision in the end.

“We’re going to learn about impacts and I think through that process we’ll learn how some of those effects can be mitigated,” Liccardo said during the meeting. “I’ll certainly follow the science, but it’s important for us to ask the questions so we can get to that point.”

Resident Arthur Weissbrodt agreed with the city council, calling the structure a “wonderful gift” and a “beautiful design.”

“We have this wonderful project offered to the city with no taxpayer expense and so I think the only right thing to do is accept it and enjoy it for many generation­s to come,” Weissbrodt said.

 ?? URBAN CONFLUENCE SILICON VALLEY ?? A rendering of “Breeze of Innovation,” chosen as the design for Urban Confluence Silicon Valley’s planned landmark at Guadalupe River Park in downtown San Jose.
URBAN CONFLUENCE SILICON VALLEY A rendering of “Breeze of Innovation,” chosen as the design for Urban Confluence Silicon Valley’s planned landmark at Guadalupe River Park in downtown San Jose.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States