SUBJECT: HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION OF
THE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS HL01-124
DISTRICT: 3
The
Historic Landmarks Commission recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution
designating the Center for the Performing Arts as Historic Landmark No.
HL01-124.
On August 14, 2001, the City Council adopted
Resolution No. 70574 initiating proceedings to designate the Center for the
Performing Arts a landmark of special historical, architectural, cultural,
aesthetic or engineering interest or value of a historic nature and referred
the proposal to the Historic Landmarks Commission for its consideration at a
public hearing and for its report and recommendation.
The Center for the Performing Arts is located at 241-271 Park Avenue. The site is zoned CG, Commercial General with a designation of Public/Quasi Public on the adopted San Jose 2020 General Plan Land Use Transportation Diagram.
This proposed designation was deferred from the
September 12, 2001 Historic Landmarks Commission meeting to the November 7,
2001 meeting. On October 2, 2001, the
City Council deferred this proposed designation to their December 4, 2001 meeting.
The deferrals were made in order to accommodate the October 10, 2001 Arts
Commission Study Session to discuss the Landmark designation of the
building. The Arts Commission did not
make a recommendation on the designation at that public meeting, but rather
provided the attached report for the review and consideration of the Historic
Landmarks Commission.
On November 7, 2001, the Historic Landmarks
Commission held a public hearing. At
that meeting John Olsen, representing PAC*SJ spoke in favor of the proposed
designation, noting that PAC*SJ had not taken an official position on the
designation. Shirley Lewis, Steven
McCray, Stewart Slater and Andrew Bales spoke in opposition to the designation,
primarily noting functional problems with the structure’s current use and
expressing concern with the age of the building. Steven McCray read a letter written by Bill Gould into the public
record opposing designation as well.
After hearing the public testimony and discussion,
the Historic Landmarks Commission voted to recommend that the City Council
designate this structure as a City Landmark (6-0-1 Youmans opposed).
The Commission determined that the proposed landmark has special historical, architectural, cultural, aesthetic, or engineering interest or value of a historical nature and that its designation as a landmark conforms with the goals and policies of the General Plan. The recommendation of the Commission is based on the following findings:
·
Its
character, interest or value as part of the local, regional, state or national history,
heritage or culture due to its association with the architect, Frank Lloyd
Wright. The building was designed by
Taliesen West, Wright’s atelier.
·
Its
embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type or
specimen. The building is an execution
of a prototype used for community centers in the United States and is a
derivative of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
The Historic Landmarks Commission held public hearings on the proposed designation of the building at their September 12, 2001 and the November 7, 2001 meetings.
The designation process for the eighteen City Landmarks was coordinated with the Redevelopment Agency and the Office of the City Attorney.
JOSEPH HORWEDEL, SECRETARY
Historic Landmarks Commission