SUBJECT: HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THE ALLEN APARTMENTS
COUNCIL DISTRICT: 3
The Historic Landmarks Commission unanimously voted (5-0-1 Commissioner
Legaspi absent) to recommend that the City Council adopt a resolution to
1. Find the proposed City Landmark has special historical, architectural, cultural, aesthetic or engineering interest or value of a historic nature;
2. Find that the City Landmark designation conforms with the Goals and Policies of the General Plan; and
3. Approve the designation of the Allen Apartments as HL 01-125.
BACKGROUND
The Allen Apartments
building is located at 156 E. St. John Street. The subject site is zoned CG,
General Commercial and is designated Residential Support for the Core on the
San Jose 2020 General Plan Land Use Transportation Diagram. The surrounding
area is currently a mix of residential and commercial use.
Acting on the nominations and related request of the Historic Landmarks Commission, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 70207 initiating proceedings to designate the Allen Apartments as a landmark of special historical, architectural, cultural, aesthetic or engineering value of a historic nature. The proposed landmark designation was referred to the Commission for a public
hearing. At its May 2 meeting, the Commission held a public hearing and voted (5-0-1 Commissioner Legaspi absent) to recommend approval of the Allen Apartments building as a City Landmark. At that meeting, Commissioner Bloom asked whether relocation of the building would compromise its eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. Planning staff stated that if the building is relocated it is possible that its integrity could be compromised. Careful consideration and coordination on how and where the building is moved could help prevent too great a loss of integrity. Owner, Keith Watt, spoke in support of the City Landmark nomination. Mr. Watt stated that he plans to pursue listing the building in the National and California registers, and would like to rehabilitate the building. Ellen Garboske on behalf of Preservation Action Council of San Jose spoke in support of the nomination, and stated that the Preservation Action Council prefers retaining the building in its current location.
The Commission determined that the designation of the Allen Apartments as a City Landmark (1) has special historical, architectural, cultural, aesthetic, or engineering interest or value of a historical nature, and (2) conforms with the Goals and Policies of the General Plan. The Commission also determined that the Allen Apartments qualifies for City Landmark designation based on the following factors:
The consultants have connected the building to Sherman Otis and Eliza (Donner) Houghton. Eliza (Donner) Houghton is a significant personage in the history of San Jose as well as the state of California. Eliza Donner Houghton not only was a surviving member of the Donner party, but also published and spoke about the event in her public life, becoming a recognized authority on the Donnor Party. Sherman Otis Houghton was an important local personage who built a reputation in the early American society, including creating a business during the gold rush, establishing land titles in the court system, involvement in local real estate and transportation development and serving as a United States Congressman for two terms from 1871 to 1875. The Houghtons moved to Los Angeles in 1886, but retained the San Jose residence until 1889. The home is attributed to the architect John T. Burkett. The building is a physical representation of the Houghton’s prosperity at the height of their local importance.
The Allen Apartment building is a classically inspired Italianate residence. It is a two-story, wood-frame structure with a low-pitched roof with wide eaves over decorative brackets. Like other Italianate buildings of the era it features tall narrow windows and a single-storied colonnaded porch. The home is representative of a style popular during the mid to late 1860s. The size, form, and style of the house is typical of many important houses built at the end of the nineteenth century in the South San Francisco Bay Area. There is some discrepancy regarding the building’s date of construction, but it is believed to have been constructed in 1870 or 1881. It could not be determined whether the c. 1881 Houghton residence was partially created from an earlier structure. The building was originally located at 325 N. Third Street, and was moved to its current location in 1909.
In plan, the Allen Apartments building is in the shape of an inverted “T”, with a large wing extending to the rear from a façade that is two rooms wide. These two rooms, plus two above at the second level, constitute the front volume of the building. A large stairway with an ornamental balustrade rises from the left side of the entry hall and curves 90 degrees at the top to meet the upper hallway. A large central hallway bisects the building at both floor levels and continues into the rear wing to a second entry that is located in the left rear corner. A smaller stairway rises at the back corner to the second level hallway.
The Allen Apartments building retains a fairly high level of integrity and is an important representation of a now rare classically inspired Italianate residence.
The Historic Landmarks commission held a noticed public hearing on February 7, 2001 and May 2, 2001.
This project was coordinated with the Redevelopment Agency and the City Attorney’s Office.
James R. Derryberry, Secretary
Historic Landmarks Commission