Explore the captivating Ulistac Natural Area in Santa Clara, California.
December 20, 2022
Spend some time in the sun and take your kids to Thamien Park Playground
December 20, 2022
The Agnews Historic Park was rebuilt after a 1906 earthquake. It is one of several parks in Santa Clara, California. It has two outdoor handball courts, a half-basketball court, and a recreational building. It also has a lighted softball field, restrooms, and an open space. Its namesake, the Clock Tower Building, is a magnificent structure.
The historic district of Agnews has been named by the state of California as a historical monument, meaning it will be protected by the state. It has been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places, and will be considered for a certificate of historic significance. The site will be preserved and will remain open to the public.
However, Sun Microsystems and the California Department of General Services are planning to develop a research and development center on the site. It would cost Sun $120 million to acquire the 80+ acres it needs to build the facility, and the company plans to demolish most of the buildings on the property.
Its name is a nod to the former site of Agnews Developmental Center, which was a neuropsychiatric institution that operated for 80 years. It opened in 1889, and was the third institution of its kind in the state.The Agnews Developmental Center was once known as the “Great Asylum for the Insane”. An impressive edifice built from unsupported masonry, this facility housed more people than any other in South San Francisco Bay.
The California State Historical Preservation Office has reviewed the Agnews’s application for a certificate of historic significance. It is expected that the document will be approved by the end of May. The application describes the changes to the site, and lists several items that will not be considered in the EIR.
Furthermore, the California Historical Preservation Office has suggested that all of West Agnews Campus be officially designated as a historical landmark – a first-of-its kind distinction in the state.The nomination of the West Agnews Campus to the National Register of Historic Places is a significant step towards the preservation of this important piece of the state’s history.
The city’s Planning Department has been responsible for developing an Environmental Impact Report for the redevelopment, and a public offering of the property is planned for a few months later. A mailing list is available if you would like to receive updates on the process. In December, a Sun official confirmed the company’s plans. Agnello also outlined the company’s plan to save the buildings that are most valuable to the community, including the Clock Tower Building, the governor’s mansion, and the main treatment building. But he said that Sun was not interested in preserving the other buildings on the property, and that they wouldn’t be used for economic purposes.
The state’s plan to rezone the site is not going over well. Holmes and Van Heckeren, the local big band’s frontman, are fighting the proposed redevelopment on behalf of the public. They argue that the state has a duty to preserve the land and buildings of the historic district, and that the sale of the property will be bad for the city and for the community.
