Almaden Resident
News
Feed & Fuel adds a chapter, and study, to history
By Anne Gelhaus
After touring the Feed & Fuel site last week and perusing yet another report about the former bar's historical status, members of San Jose's Historic Landmarks Commission agreed to stand by their original recommendation that the Old Almaden building be restored and reused.
Two separate reports by the city deemed the Feed & Fuel a structure of merit but stopped short of according the building city landmark status. After reviewing a draft of the second report, along with arguments from community members that the site is historically significant, city planning staff decided to revisit the issue.
While the third report still doesn't rank the Feed & Fuel as a landmark, commissioners decided there's enough evidence of the building's place in local history to recommend saving it. The planning commission is slated to consider this recommendation in January.
Residents have been working to save the Feed & Fuel since May, when owner Jon Carson closed down the bar and applied for a permit to rezone the area to residential.
The claim was that the Feed & Fuel served as a gateway to the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines and had been there since the 1890s, but the second historical survey found no evidence the building existed then.
The third survey, completed by the same consultants hired by Carson to undertake the second, incorporated findings by Almaden resident Art Boudreault, who researched the building's history. Boudreault found an 1863 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that redrew the boundaries of the Quicksilver Mining Company to include the property where the Feed & Fuel now stands.
"That ruling should give weight to preserving the building," Boudreault told commissioners at a Dec. 6 meeting.
Members of the Pfeiffer family spoke in favor of preserving the building at last week's meeting. The family, longtime Almaden Valley residents, used to own the property where the Feed & Fuel is located.
"I'm fifth-generation, and I'd like to see the building stay in Almaden," said Sharon Pfeiffer. "It's something of significance to the valley."
A History of Historical Reports
First study
Owner Jon Carson contracts an archeological investigator to conduct a historic report before moving forward with plans to demolish the building to make way for a housing project. The report concludes the structure does not qualify as a city landmark, according to the city of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory criteria. According to the report, the Feed & Fuel is a structure of merit, but there is no requirement to save it.
Another look
The historical landmarks commission reconsiders the building's significance following a review of the historical survey and new information presented by the community. Local resident Art Boudreault discovers additional information he thinks should be considered.
The commission recommends the former bar be restored and reused.
Second report
The city decides another historical analysis is needed. The new report, like the first one, finds the building to be worthy of a "structure of merit" designation, but not a city landmark candidate. The new report actually places the building lower on the continuum than did the first.
Third report
After reviewing the second report, along with arguments from community members, city planning staff decide to revisit the issue with a third report. They find enough evidence of the building's place in local history to recommend saving it.
