Historical Evaluation & Assessment Santana West Development Project 449 S. Winchester Boulevard, 3161, 3162, and 3164 Olsen Drive, and a portion of 525 S. Winchester Boulevard San José, Santa Clara County, California (APNs #303-40-010, -015, -016, -021, and -022) Prepared for: David J. Powers & Associates, Inc. 1871 The Alameda, Suite 200 San José, CA 95126 6.13.2016 ARCHIVES & ARCHITECTURE, LLC PO Box 1332 San José, CA 95109-1332 http://www.archivesandarchitecture.com HISTORICAL EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Project Description...................................................................................................................... 4 Purpose and Methodology of this Study ..................................................................................... 4 Previous Surveys and Historical Status ...................................................................................... 6 Maps and Locational Data .......................................................................................................... 8 Summary of Findings ................................................................................................................ 10 Background and Historic Context ................................................................................................. 11 Thematic Contexts .................................................................................................................... 15 Bob’s Big Boy Restaurant ......................................................................................................... 19 Architectural Context ................................................................................................................ 23 Resource Descriptions .............................................................................................................. 27 Policy and Regulatory Context ..................................................................................................... 28 General Plan Goals and Policies .............................................................................................. 28 Municipal Code Requirements .................................................................................................. 29 City Council Policy on Preservation of City Landmarks ............................................................ 30 City of San José Evaluation Rating System .............................................................................. 30 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) ........................................................................... 31 Policies Involving Design Review of Historic Properties ........................................................... 33 Evaluation for Historic Significance .............................................................................................. 33 Project Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 34 Potential Impacts of the Project ................................................................................................ 35 Findings Justifying Alteration or Demolition of a Landmark Structure ....................................... 39 Mitigation Recommendations ................................................................................................... 39 Sources Consulted, and Cited ...................................................................................................... 43 Qualifications of the Consultants .................................................................................................. 46 Appendix....................................................................................................................................... 46 ARCHIVES & ARCHITECTURE 2 HISTORICAL EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT Introduction Introduction A four-parcel site located on the west side of South Winchester Boulevard south of Olin Avenue at Olsen Drive in San José, within the Santana Row / Valley Fair and Vicinity Urban Village, is being proposed for a mixed-use project. The project, filed with the City of San José under PDC14-068, requests the rezoning of the property, identified as six existing parcels, from CG Commercial General Zoning District to the CP (PD) Planned Development Zoning District. The project associated with the proposed zoning is for approximately 999,000 square feet of commercial/office uses on an approximately 12.9- acre site. The site includes the City Landmark Century 21 Theater building at 3161 Olsen Drive, currently vacant (HL14-212). Also on the site are three other buildings: the vacant Century 22 Theater building at 3162 Olsen Drive, the vacant Century 23 Theater building at 3164 Olsen Drive, and the Flames Coffee Shop (formerly Bob’s Big Boy) at 449 South Winchester Boulevard. Adjacent to the property is the City Landmark Sarah L. Winchester House (also known as the Winchester Mystery House), located at 525 South Winchester Boulevard (HL95- 101). The Winchester House is also listed as California Landmark #868 and is on the National Register of Historic Places (NPS-7400559). The project proposes to demolish the Century 22 and 23 Theater buildings as well as the Flames Coffee Shop. Parking associated with the Winchester Mystery House will be reconfigured. The Century 21 Theater building would be retained in its current location or moved onsite and separated from the proposed buildings by open space. Various reuse options for the Century 21 Theater building are being considered. One option would be to incorporate the building as part of the public open space on site by removing the façade and roof of the building and retaining the underlying metal substructure, allowing the building to be utilized as an outdoor pavilion. Reuse options that retain the full structure are also under consideration. The project applicant with the City of San José is Federal Realty Investment Trust. The property is owned by Winchester Investments, Inc.; their lease is with SR Winchester, LLC. David J. Powers & Associates, Inc. contracted with Archives & Architecture, LLC, to prepare this historical evaluation and assessment of the project as a part of preparation of documents for a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). This report will be used to inform the environmental process and will be included as a part of environmental review of the project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City of San Jose’s Planning Division within the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement (PBCE) has requested that a report such as this be submitted as a part of their rezoning and development review process. It is the practice of the City of San José ARCHIVES & ARCHITECTURE 3 HISTORICAL EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT Introduction to require that a historic evaluation and historic project assessment be done by a qualified Architectural Historian/Historic Architect when a project involves an existing or potential historic resource(s). Project Description The proposed project to be undertaken following the rezoning of the property and issuance of Planned Development (PD) permits is a phased development that would include demolition of two of the theater buildings on the site (Centuries 22 and 23) and construction of up to 970,000 square feet of office space and 29,000 square feet of retail space in six buildings. The Century 21 Theater building or structure in some form is proposed for retention. Parking would be provided in above grade and below grade parking structures within the new buildings. The buildings would range in height from six to nine stories with the nine-story buildings along South Winchester Boulevard and in the center of the site. The six-story buildings would be located near the western property line. Olsen Drive might be realigned and removed from the western portions of the site as a part of the project. The existing parking for the Winchester Mystery House might be reconfigured and expanded along the south side of the new Olsen Drive and contain up to 180 at-grade open parking stalls. Elevation – Winchester Blvd. (excerpt) Studios Architecture, September 3, 2015. Purpose and Methodology of this Study This document is presented in a report format and presents historical information regarding the City Landmark Century 21 Theater building, the Century 22 and 23 buildings, and the Flames Coffee Shop. Additionally, although the City Landmark Sarah ARCHIVES & ARCHITECTURE 4 HISTORICAL EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT Introduction L. Winchester House is located on an adjacent parcel, since the project may include modification of the related parking and the project itself may affect the immediate environment of this landmark site, this report presents historical information about the Winchester House to aid in the analysis of project impacts. The project is therefore assessed for potential impacts to listed and identified historic resources, both on and off site. The three buildings that are proposed for demolition are evaluated for historical significance within this report. None of those three buildings has previously been the subject of a historic evaluation at either the local, state, or national levels.