Historic buildings large and small contribute to what makes San Jose a unique and special place, a place that is distinctive from other cities. Unfortunately, we have lost many historic buildings to development, fire, and illegal demolition. These losses make our remaining architectural resources that much more precious, and therefore due for exceptional protections and extraordinary consideration.

The rush to develop practically every square foot of downtown San Jose has put extreme pressure on those resources. Especially for longtime residents, preserving our historic buildings and signs provides a comforting connection to our city’s history. Residents deal with traffic, high cost of living, homelessness, and other challenges. Losing our familiar and cherished vistas makes for just another reason why folks get fed up and move elsewhere.  And these vistas are something that new visitors and residents enjoy as much as “old timers”.

Last year, the city approved a 22-story tower directly across the street from our stately 1926 Bank of Italy building, obscuring views of this treasure and impacting the Downtown Historic Commercial District.  The city also just authorized a 19-story tower hard against the Hotel De Anza.  An additional tower has been proposed to cantilever and loom over the Montgomery Hotel, an iconic city landmark.  Without intervention, a local developer intends to build another tower immediately south of the Montgomery as well, that combined will plunge the hotel into a valley of darkness.

There are dozens of projects underway or planned that do not impact San Jose’s unique historic architecture.  Residential projects of every shape and size that respect our cultural legacy have been built downtown, with many more in the works.  Commercial development totaling more than 2.5 million square feet is under construction that steers clear of historic landmarks and more than double that is being planned.

There is no doubt San Jose needs additional residential, commercial, and hotel units. In terms of hotel rooms, apparently there is a shortage. However, the site of the “temporary” Convention Center tent is more than 16 times the size of the parcel next to the Hotel De Anza where a new tower was just approved, totaling 272 rooms.  Imagine how many hotel rooms could be added if the tower were instead built immediately adjacent to our Convention Center?  And again, without historic resources close by to consider.

Preservation Action Council San Jose supports density.  With density comes people.  Feet on the street activate historic buildings and bring vitality to downtown.   Instead of empty storefronts, a vibrant 24-hour city helps create an energy that fills underutilized spaces.  What will draw people from one block to the next? New construction respectful in height and mass that adds visual interest must be balanced with our beloved historic architecture.  But if all that new residents and visitors see is an endless repetition of modern glass towers, ones that could be built in any city in California, then what is being built is empty, without a soul or sense of place.  There is no connection to the evolution of San Jose from 1777 to today.

Historic preservation is one of San Jose’s many planning policies.  It seems that despite letters from concerned citizens, the work of non-profit advocates like PAC*SJ, and even guidance from its own Historic Landmarks Commission, city decision makers are intent on destroying or disrespecting our historic cultural heritage as quickly as possible.  Bad decisions made today will last generations.  Just because a developer can conceive and execute a project at the demise of San Jose’s historic architecture does not mean that they should.  We can do better.

André Luthard is board president of the Preservation Action Council of San Jose.