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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Moving Landmark: The Whitney House, owned by Campbell resident John Peters, was slowly moved down Winchester Boulevard to its new location on Fourth Street early Saturday July 28.
Whitney House Moves
Historical house moved from 175 E. Campbell Ave. to new lot on 4th St. to be renovated, lived in
By Erin Mayes
The Whitney House slowly made its way to its new home Saturday morning. Crew members from Kelly Brothers House Movers gradually started tugging the structure down the road at 5 a.m., pausing occasionally to move tree branches and electrical wires.
An entourage of family members, at least one Historic Preservation Board member and a few journalists followed the house at a leisurely stroll, cameras in hand, after it was lifted off its former lot at 175 E. Campbell Ave. The home was wheeled down Civic Center Drive, taking a few tree branches with it. After creeping onto Campbell Avenue, the house made a left on Winchester, pausing only once so that a crew member could climb onto the roof and hold electrical wires out of the way. The house then veered left on Rincon Drive, and shimmied through a church parking lot to rest on its new lot on Fourth Street.
Before he could move the home, owner John Peters removed the roof so that it could slide underneath most of the electrical wires. Originally, Peters had planned to coordinate the efforts of PG&E, Pacific Bell and the cable company to move the wires so the house wouldn't have to be taken apart, but was unable to do this.
Peters and his brother removed and numbered each board on the roof, and may end up piecing it back together. If the Historic Preservation Board approves, Peters may build a steeper roof, which would allow for some living space in loft-type areas.
The historical home's new location is on Fourth Street, where Peters plans to renovate the house and eventually live in it with his wife and three children. An engineering consultant, Peters obtained the house from the redevelopment agency for free, in return for paying the moving costs, which he estimated to be a little over $20,000.
The agency acquired the house in November 2000 to make way for the Master Development, a mixed-use two-story project that will have retail on the bottom floor and apartments on the top. A 300-plus space parking garage is also planned for the site.
Three other properties that were located on the same lot as the Whitney House were torn down July 27 after the city's redevelopment agency acquired the property through eminent domain. The former owners were paid $1.6 million for the property and the garage that will be going up on that location is scheduled for completion in July 2002.
Built in the 1920s, the Whitney House was constructed and lived in by well-known Campbell architect George Whitney, who died in 1934. Peters said he plans to preserve much of the interior, even though the Historic Preservation Board doesn't require it. The board is concerned mainly with the outside preservation and appearance of the home.
The house is a blend of Craftsman, mission and colonial revival architecture, although the historical resources inventory from the Campbell Historical Museum describes it as a California Bungalow with colonial revival features. The inventory lists it as being one-story with stucco finish, and having a tar and gravel, low gabled roof with a plain boxed cornice roof trim in the front. The front of the house has a porch with two round columns. The house also has nine foot ceilings and pine floors, which Peters may be able to refinish.
Renovating the house should take about two years, Peters said, because renovating takes longer than building from the ground up.
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Campbell, California
