User:Fpenrose/Saint James Historic, San Jose, California

Saint James Historic is the neighborhood surrounding and including Saint James Park & Saint James Square.

THE BEGINNING The origin of St. James Square dates back to the beginning of San Jose's American period (1848) when the city fathers commissioned the Yale educated surveyor Charles S. Lyman to lay out a plan for the future city of San Jose. Lyman reserved a large open area for public open space by combining twin rectangular blocks within the standard grid plan for the city; This area was then called St. James Square. Twenty years later Frederick Law Olmsted, America's greatest pioneer landscape architect, laid out the diagonal and peripheral walkways. Plantings were begun. With this addition, St. James Square became officially known as St. James Park. Historically one of San Jose's most important public spaces (See Saint James Park, San Jose, CA).

THE MASTER PLAN In 2008, the Park began the 1st phase of the San Jose's Redevelopment St. James Master Plan, Update 2002. With unrelentless neighborhood advocacy at the grass roots level, the St. James Historic District Neighborhood Association (SJHDNA) lead by then founder & president Frank Penrose (2005-2008), with full support from District 3 Supervisor Sam Liccardo ( carry over support which was championed first by his predecessor, Councilperson Cindy Chavez), the Redevelopment Agency released it first round funding to begin the revitalization plan for St. James Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD & BOUNDARIES The St. James Historic District residential make up is made up primarily of some of downtown San Jose's first high density housing.

The early motto of the neighborhood branded by the SJHDNA - Creating a neighborhood to linger in, rather than pass through".

St. John Street to the South, Bassett Street to the North (bordering the Hensley Historic District), respectively North San Pedro to the West and portions of 3rd Street to the East.

ADVOCACY BEGINS This collection of luxury style condominiums, townhomes, lofts and apartments created a notably residential upscale community all within a 5 block radius, which resulted in immediate neighborhood advocacy, primarily championing St. James Park. The park's reputation at this time, was known as a homeless gathering place encumbered by criminal activity. In 2004, the neighborhood activist working with Cindy Chavez and the St. James Advisory Committee decided to take matters in their own hands by claiming the park as a DRUG FREE ZONE. This was the first step by residents AND the city in "taking back" St. James Park, while in parallel working with homeless providers to connect the homeless with organization like the Salvation Army & InVision.

Programming immediately followed by having large musical rock concert-like events ; "Music In the Other Park", sponsored by the San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) and later with the Neighborhood Association (SJHDNA) & City sponsored events like National Night Out, the Great American Clean Up and Daffodil Days. All this was done in prior preparation for funding of the St. James Master Plan.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Just a brisk 10-15 minute walk to downtown's vibrant dining & entertainment "core",San Jose State University, City Hall, San Pedro Square and the HP Pavilion this city planned "neighborhood" was specifically designed as a "commuter's village" ( VTA bus lines & light rail hub, as well as immediate access to major freeways - highways 280, 880, 85 and the Guadalupe Expressway).

HISTORICAL INTEGRITY Showcased & populated by an eclectic architectural collection of upscale low-mid rise "boutique" condominium homes & lofts, 19th century Victorian homes, some of California's most historical churches and grand Neo-Classical structures designed by some of California's most highly regarded architects from the 19th & early 20th Centuries.

To one's own chagrin, a fabled history that goes beyond any typical neighborhood lore continues to define St. James Historic with "panache"& distinction , as told by it's celebrated past. Home of the first official Auto shop on the West Coast (Lechter's Garage), the site of California's last lynching (The Harte Kidnapping & Murder 1933), visits by presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy & President McKinley ,even the site of "what would have been" California's First Capitol building, constructed as a means to assure San Jose as California's first Capitol city , only later to provide a perfect setting for California's first female attorney.

A PLACE OF MEANING St. James Historic is nothing less than a success story in downtown San Jose redevelopment. The result when urban planning principles for SMART GROWTH are properly utilized & integrated while preserving HISTORY; making light of not only it's city but it's STATE WIDE historic significance.

The district has come to be known as:

The St. James Historic District - the heart of California's oldest city.