RECOMMENDATION

The Historic Landmarks Commission recommends the City Council adopt a resolution designating the W. Prussia Building as Historic Landmark No. HL01-130.

BACKGROUND

On August 14, 2001, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 70574 initiating proceedings to designate the W. Prussia Building 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 W. Prussia Building is located at 371 S. First Street. The site is zoned CG, Commercial General with a designation of Core Area Commercial on the adopted San Jose 2020 General Plan Land Use Transportation Diagram.

The Commission held a public hearing on the proposal at its September 12, 2001 meeting.

No public testimony was received and the public hearing was closed. The Commission unanimously voted to recommend this structure be designated as a City Landmark (6-0-1; Paim absent).

ANALYSIS

Pursuant to the San Jose Historic Preservation Ordinance, Chapter 13.48 of the Municipal Code, the Commission found 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 from the Ordinance:

Its identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the local, regional, state or national culture and history. Willard L. Prussia was active in the San Jose business community and the structure was constructed by the Cahill Brothers of San Francisco.

Its identification as the work of an architect or master builder whose individual work has influenced the development of the City of San Jose. The structure is a distinguished example designed by the architectural firm of Weeks and Day.

PUBLIC OUTREACH

The W. Prussia Building is one of eighteen proposed City Landmarks nominated by the Historic Landmarks Commission at its June 6, 2001 meeting. The eighteen candidate City Landmarks were identified in the Downtown Core Historic Resources Survey completed in the fall of 2000. Public workshops on the Downtown Core Historic Resources Survey were held during the fall and winter. Copies of the survey have been sent to the Redevelopment Agency, the California Room of the Martin Luther King Junior Library, History San Jose and to the Preservation Action Council of San Jose. The Planning Department has added all San Jose Inventory eligible sites to its Inventory of historic properties, which is used by the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement for reviewing development permits

COORDINATION

The designation process for the eighteen City Landmarks has been coordinated with the Redevelopment Agency.

Joseph Horwedel, Secretary

Historic Landmarks Commission