While on the subject of City Hall and its relative architectural merit, it might be nice to reflect on the exposition of history – how we show it in San Jose.
A close relative of mine made a recent effort to chronicle the sad spectacle of the Raising of the Flag statue by the esteemed scultor, Robert Glen, mentioned in recent editorials and articles in the Mercury News. Her documentary film shed much light on the inability of our city to come to grips with our history. It will be seen later this month in the San Francisco International Film Festival and soon, I believe, on public television.
We now have another chance to deal with our local history.
In our new City Hall we have a unique opportunity to bring the many, many painting, documents, and fascinating items from our San Jose Historical Museum to a place where the public can readily see and enjoy and learn from them, i.e., they can be made accessible.
Do we have the sense – and courage - to do so?
History can be a pure and instructive thing when it is not used to further the political agenda of anyone. It can be, in short, educational and often inspiring. Just tell it straight and let the wisdom of our citizens take over from there. We can learn more from the reaction to the savage injustice of the internment of our Japanese Americans citizens in 1942 than from the celebration of other more laudable happening. But we can benefit from all. It must be a “warts and all” presentation.
Yet in order to learn, we must observe and think.
Those are two activities that have not been in much evidence in the way we have dealt with our history in the last decade. We can do better.
We must.
Let’s stop with the Gonzales experiments. Henceforce, architectural creativity and genius. The CH aluminum / silver panels have already collected a dingy patina of auto emissions, and the building already looks unspeakably filthy and tired. Gonzales has single-handedly ruined San Jose and downtown.
Tom, We have neither the sense nor the courage. “Warts and all” presentations of history only apply to “non-minorities”. Regards.
Great idea Tom,
I can’t wait for the city to get its hands on this. They will spend 12 million studing its environmental impact, hire outside developers and contractors to do the work, and claim it has such incredible historical appeal.
Cool idea though. It would be even better if we could get the historical museum moved downtown. We could use both a new attraction and something with our history attached.
But your idea of moving some key historical pieces to the new civic center is a step in a postive direction!
Let me guess though…. the city will probably hand out millions to “artist” to make unual and insignificant art displays for the area your talking about?
Oh, come on, Mal, nobody can do any great venture single-handed and alone – give some credit to others. TMcE
While Tom and others are talking about how wonderful the new city hall is, the New York Times published a report on the structural failures of the Twin Towers. Essentially, cities all over the United States, have liberalized the building codes regarding stairwells for large buildings. So while we all admire this and that, and hope to have historic murals for this or that, perhaps another stairway, Tom, Ron, and others, would be more appreciative of our citizens.
This is an excellent idea—displaying pieces of our City’s rich history in a building that Gonzales is touting as a public gathering place. Sadly, Gonzo won’t go for it. I have never seen a political leader (President, Governor, Mayor) so removed from the history of the community they lead. Gonzales had never done anything to acknowledge SJ’s history. It must be hard to honor a city’s history when you have only lived in the City for about 10 years and only moved here to run for political office.
Who cares about stairwells – the burning question is whether the new building will have transgender bathrooms.
Mayor Gonzales’ political is over. Done. Period. End of story. Therefore, we must rebuild what he and others (know nothings)have destroyed. We must. We have no alternative. In a very short time, I can imagine a great city rising from the ashes.
Erin’s documentary will be on Public television?
I hope it’s on KQED. If KTEH gets ahold of it they will interrupt it with 16 pledge breaks, an auction and some guy trying to sell $150 videotapes.
I read the MERC but I don’t buy it. I boycott it. The writing is weak and biased. So be carefull about the info you glean from it. An example of good writing is the New York Times and the Wall St. Journal, just to name a few.
Downtown San Jose and the city itself is a decrepeit disaster. The whole media, including Time, Newsweek, Businessweek, Sunset Mag. and etc. don’t awknowlege San Jose. When they do a survey of cities in general, they say San Francisco, not San Jose. San Jose is less known than Fresno and known as little suburb of SF. The city is less known today than in 1970’s. Very few people have heard of San Jose. Downtown is very dead and no one uses it. It’s very small-town like. By the way read California issue of Sunset Magazine 2005 . It mentions SF area, not SJ. Also read this week issue of Businessweek regarding housing prices. Again San Francisco area, not San Jose. No respect and getting worse
I agree 100% with Fred. We’re closing in on the top ten of largest U.S. cities and I’ll bet if you gave that list of 10 to the average citizen east of the sierras (well, those who were actually taught geography and civics in school) that they’d be able to tell you something significant about 9 of them but would be scratching their heads about San Jose, location, claim to fame, etc. We need people in charge who are going to get this town some recognition, and not of the negative variety. Seeing as how SJ is not exactly a hotbed of excitement this is no small task. When is the last time anybody heard someone say they’re proud to be from SJ? Give us a reason to exhibit some civic pride and the recognition will follow.
As for Gonzo single handedly ruining the entire downtown, 1) He hasn’t really, and 2) Where he has, help came from about 9 other people. But let’s be fair here and place the blame where it belongs. Susan Hammer may not have left her mark with a controversial new City Hall, but she made just as huge of a mess with allowing the pile of you-know-what to be installed in downtown’s front yard. Sure Susie honey, that got us the exactly the respect and notoriety we were looking for, didn’t it?
Does anyone else see a resemblance between the rotunda and the kind of place that Dr Evil would reside?
We will end up with something in front of City Hall that no one can recognize, therefore no one can be mad!
As for being proud of SJ – I think there are plenty of people that are proud. Its just that we feel we are defending it all the time to everyone else, namely San Franciscans who are snotty about it. The worst I hear is that “nothing happens there” and that there are “no young people” living here and no “good hip crowds”. And I admit, sometimes it is true. We need more attractions but just need more density of people living here and things will improve. But we do need big hits like retail, sports teams and more good restaurants.
Thirteen reactions to Tom’s comment. Three of them—including one by Tom himself—identify the writer. The rest don’t. Am I the only one who gets unhappy about this?
Bob Kieve
Also, why aren’t there “neighborhoods” in San Jose? Chinatown, Little Italy, etc. We could have that, but that takes planning and vision. I love Japantown, but why is it the only one? We could have an area of Mexican heritage, with shops and restaurants and you promote the area, we could have our own Chinatown, our own Korean area, Italian, Irish, you name it! I get frustrated because I feel like City Hall is where all good ideas go to die!
I couldn’t resist.
I needed to pass this along to you fine folks.
http://theonion.com/opinion/index.php?issue=4114
Bob, as a nice bit of irony, I get unhappy when people don’t sign their names…
Ha! Downtowngal, San Jose will never ever get big hit retail or attractions in the downtown area in your lifetime, come on! It will never increase the density you’re suggesting: no way. It’s too suburban minded, and infact, the bank lenders will never allow it to happen, namely highrise housing being built downtown. San Jose is a real loser—just get it in your head. It’s a tragic reality.
Slowdown. Wait and See. You have not heard about the Great Revitalization Plan (GRP). Even skeptical you, I believe, will support it.
We have the Mexican Heritage Plaza at Alum Rock and King RD. Isn’t that why it was built?
We also have Little Portugal or at least the banners to identify the location. Unfortunally it has more Spanish and Vietnamese stores then Portuguese. With the Mayor’s race next year, the future looks brighter. I hope someone with a vision steps up to the plate. If not we will be dealing with the same individuals who helped create the problem. Just in different roles.
Downtown San Jose can be proud of where it is now from where it started. It was once a beautiful samll town with all the retail and movies downtown. Politicians and one san jose landowner helped destroy it. It was further denied a chance come back when Mayor Hammer allowed Santana Row to be built. Eventually, people and shops and more housing will be built and downtown will again be the city it should have always been. As former mayor Tom once said, It was murdered”. Lets just say it was wounded and Mayor Tom was part of rescitating it. Lets hope the future holds and new mayor and city council that see it is important to have a fital and busy downtown.
Satan Row failed. The fire was an insurance fire and the design was changed afterward. SR would not fit in downtown. Something a lot better will be built. Time must take its course here.
You’re dreamin’
Name recognition is indeed tepid concerning SJ. As ex-resident (of 20 years) who relocated due to housing costs, bottom line of give and take is financial. FL does afford this. Pursuit of history is educational and reasonable in what one discovers when collecting older, pre-1950 postcards.
Annual (January) showcase of dealers who flock to the Sunshine State, from the midwest and eastern seaboard, have scant clue of where SJ is located. Many would say the Valley is outside LA- reason being that – isn’t everything?
This does pain me but reality bears out fact that the Big Chip remains a mystery to the
American public.
San Jose is, from these January
Dear Congressman McEnery:
I am really tired of reading your negative screeds. You only use this forum to attack people. So I must respond in kind – part 1.
Get off Fallon’s… err your high horse and look in the mirror. You’re as much a political climber as Jim Beall.
Let’s see, you were a City Councilman who ran for Mayor. You met with Satan aka Clint Reilly about a possible run for State Supe of Schools. Clint even floated it to the press and you got laughed out of the box because you and your children have never set foot in public schools. As usual you never returned another phone call to the lord of the underworld.
After that flame out, you made a laughable and quixotic bid to be named Ambassador to Ireland. This was based on taking credit for a lot of other people’s (like Gloria Rose Ott and Dave Barram) work on behalf of Bill Clinton. You’re not even in the same universe with my friend Ray Flynn or Jean Kennedy Smith.
Oh and let’s not forget your ill fated run for Congress in 1994… Way to snatch Defeat from the Jaws of victory.
Let’s not forget your dalliances with the Reform Party, the Gropenator, and yes fanning the flames and failing again to run for Mayor a couple of times.
Congressman, let me paraphrase a little advice from William Shakespeare, “Take heed, dear heart, of your life of privilege; The hardest knife ill-used doth lose his edge.”