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A NDERSON B RULÉ A RCHITECTS
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Strategies, Architecture & Interiors
Anderson Brulé Architects Inc. 325 South First Street, 4th Floor San Jose, California 95113
Tel: 408 298 1885 Fax: 408 298 1887
CARLSON HOUSE
Opportunity Study Workshop
MEETING DATE:
MEETING TIME:
April 28, 2010
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
LOCATION: West Valley College,
Fox Building, Room 211
ATTENDEES: Cindy Schelcher, Dean of Advancement, West Valley-Mission Community College District
Dave Anderson, City Manager, City of Saratoga
Ed Maduli, Vice Chancellor, Administrative Services, West Valley-Mission Community College
District
John Hendrickson, Chancellor, West Valley-Mission Community College District
Lori Gaskin, President, West Valley College
Paul Conrado, Community Member, Rotary President, Historic Preservation Commission
Member
Ernie Kraule, Saratoga Historical Foundation Representative
Pamela Anderson-Brulé, Community Member; Architect
Monique Wood, Community Member, Architect
CONTEXT: The Carlson House, located on the West Valley College campus, is a historic asset for both the
college and the community of Saratoga. However, the condition of the property is in a state of
decay, and West Valley is determining possible next steps for this facility. This workshop is an
opportunity to meet with interested community and college members to brainstorm ideas for the
home’s future.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the meeting is to:
• Share Information on the History and Significance of the Carlson House
• Discuss Process for Engaging in Formulation of Community Based Projects
• Engage in a Collaborative Discussion on the Potential Opportunities and Constraints
of Future Scenarios for the House
• Identify the Potential Benefits Provided to the Campus and Community by this
Facility
INTENDED RESULTS: The intended results of the meeting are to:
• Gain a Shared Understanding of the History of the Carlson House
• Overview the Steps to Project Development
• Brainstorm Potential Development Scenarios for the Carlson House
• Identify Opportunities and Constraints of the Scenarios
• Discuss Potential Next Steps towards Project Visioning
Agenda on Next Page
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Carlson House
Opportunity Study Workshop | Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6
April 28, 2010
AGENDA ITEMS
I. Introductions / Agenda Review
II. Project Overview
A. Brief Property History
1. Source: Carlson Home Restoration Status Report (Date Unknown)
2. The Cowan Home, ~1930
a) House Designed by Higgins and Root Architects
b) Described as ‘Pseudo-Spanish’ Architecture
c) Multiple Bedrooms, Three Bathrooms, Attached Terrace, Detached Garage
d) 12 Acre Plot of Prune and Apricot Trees
e) Cowan Family Lived in the House for 12-13 Years
3. The Carlson House, ~1942-43
a) Mrs. Cowan Sold the House to the Carlson Family
b) Mr. Carlson was Noted as the Last Active Blacksmith in Santa Clara County
4. West Valley Property, Late 1960s
a) WVC Police Department Headquarters
b) WVC Campus Bookstore
c) Seismic Issues Caused the Home to be Abandoned
5. Next Stages of Development
a) Carlson Family Member Offered to Purchase the House and Move it from the Site
to Preserve its Architecture (No Longer an Option)
b) Cowan Family Very Interested in Helping and Supporting the Restoration
(1) Open to Any Use that would Keep the Home from Further Decline
(2) Plans No Longer Exist to the Family’s Knowledge
B. Past Project Efforts
1. To the group’s understanding, there have not been assessments performed on the house
beyond the historic report referenced above.
2. Assessments of the following should be considered:
a) What is the current historic registration status of the property?
(1) This will help to determine what jurisdiction would prevail as the
regulatory agency and which codes must be met through the renovation
design.
b) Current state of the existing condition – what structural repairs would be needed?
What aesthetic condition is the existing building in and what level of repairs and
renovations would be needed?
3. What new spaces could be added to the existing structure for functional reasons
a) What land would the college be willing to add to allow for additions?
(1) The college does not have land outside of the current property perimeter
to offer to this project planning.
b) What would be the affects of the additions on the historic value of the property?
III. Project Formulation Overview
A. Steps to Project Development for Community Based Project s
1. Building Blocks to Project Formulation
2. Business Plan Scenarios
a) What – Services and Vision
b) How – Operations/Funding/Financing and Cost Recovery Plan
c) Where - Program
d) Who – Ownership Structure/Partnership
e) Opportunities and Constraints of Scenarios
f) Outreach: Test Scenarios and Identify Potential Available Grants
3. Vision
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a) Project Vision
b) Business Plan Refinement
c) Outreach: Campaign Readiness Assessment
4. Feasibility Study
a) Conceptual Plan/Program
b) Conceptual Cost Model
c) (E) Conditions Analysis
(1) Determine options for Historic Status
(2) Seismic conditions
(3) Mechanical/Plumbing/Electrical and Life Safety
(4) Accessibility and Exiting
d) Outreach: Status Update to Interested Parties
5. Develop Collateral
a) Plans
b) Renderings
c) Models
d) Outreach: ‘Quiet Launch’ – Donor Profile Development and Prospect
Identification
6. Capital Endowment/Fundraising Campaign
B. Introduction to Scenario Development Exercise
IV. Scenario Development for Carlson House Future
A. Stakeholders and Interests
1. Community Counseling Services – This is a potential fundraising enterprise that could aid
in the development of funds.
2. College Specific Interests
a) College’s interest is bifurcated:
(1) Very few colleges in CA have a historic building on campus – this is a
unique and positive aspect of this campus
(2) Want to break out of the perception that WV is an island in the
community – this project could be a way to initiate this shift in
perception
(3) The college could make use of this in the effort to ‘friend-raise’ and this
could eventually turn into funding
(4) Chancellor’s office and the boardroom could move to the Carlson House
(5) Can’t get into a long-term situation where this facility drains the
resources of the college – don’t want to set up a potential liability for the
college
b) Foundation Comments
(1) Allied Arts Guild as a benchmark facility – they have toured this facility
with numerous chancellors to see the work that was done there
(2) The Guild has offered to share their funding resources
(3) The Foundation serves both colleges – ancillary businesses are usually
handled under a Foundation (similar to an Auxiliary club)
(4) The college has a culinary arts institute program – this could be a
potential use of the facility – could they use this as a kitchen for the
program participants to use or could the students be the catering group
for this facility?
(5) This could also be an income strain for the arts program – have arts
programs and lectures in the garden
c) Chancellor’s office
(1) You don’t have community if you don’t have history
(2) Elimination of the blight of the facility and the landscaping
(a) Current state hurts the image, access, environment, etc. of the
college
(3)
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(4) Don’t see any student activities occurring within this facility
(5) Their interest is that they own the property and the facility and would
like to see it preserved and have the blight removed
(6) Potentially moving non-instructional spaces into this facility to free up
space on the campus
(7) Legal issues – would they want to deed the property and get it outside of
the campus’ responsibility?
d) Engineering and Facilities
(1) Would have to be self-supporting for the future
3. Community Specific Interests
a) Rotary
(1) Desire to have a place to have their Friday lunches other than the
community center – need a room for seating for 100 people at tables and
a catering kitchen
(2) Vision for the facility:
(a) Want to see the building restored and potentially an addition
(b) Want to see an enclosed garden where weddings and parties
could be held
(c) Would like to have a Rotary office in the facility
(3) Rotary would be willing to put $200-400k into the facility in exchange to
have their monthly meetings there and have 2-3 meetings per year
(4) Suggested talking to Bob Grimm with reference to the Los Altos historic
facility and the process they went through there
b) Historic Foundation
(1) Obviously interested in historical preservation
(2) Would like to have a place to display some of the Saratoga artifacts and
photos
(3) Docents support spaces and programs would be nice to have as a part of
the program
(4) Also, outreach program through students at local elementary schools –
tours of historic facilities that could also be incorporated
(5) It was noted that the college also has a repository of historical documents
that could be added to the display
c) City and the Historic Commission
(1) Interest in general to preserve historic buildings, no matter where they
are located
(2) City has been looking for a project to partner with the college – a good
example of this is the MLK facility (ABA provided the consulting
service for this collaboration) – a collaborative between the City and the
College
(3) Envisions this as a joint-use building – potentially a community center
with senior facilities, activity center, ‘friendly gateway to the college’,
lower the barriers of access to the college, get a taste of the college, but
be in a familiar joint use setting where everyone is a stakeholder and has
an interest in its success
(4) Would like to find a City Council chambers that isn’t the Theater – it
isn’t very comfortable for their City Council meetings
(5) The City has this kind of relationship with the Library and the
Community Center, among others, and can bring this knowledge and
history to this project and relationship
(6) He wanted to assure the campus of the City’s flexibility and interest in
renovating and reusing this facility
(7) It was noted that it must be hard to know how much room the City
Council space would take up – Paul had estimated this from the existing
City Council space within their community center, and feels that it could
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Carlson House
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April 28, 2010
be a consistently sized space to that of the potential Rotary meeting
space.
d) Others?
(1) Architecture program at the campus should be involved in some aspect
of this project
(2) Alumni – could potentially great source of funding
(3) Faculty and staff – need to make sure that it is clear that campus funding
is not going to be used for this project
(4) Other Important Community Organizations
(a) Saratoga League of Women Voters
(b) Saratoga Men’s Club
(c) Saratoga Foothill Club – probably not very interested because
they have their own historic facility
(d) Saratoga/Monte Sereno Community Foundation
(e) Others - ?
(5) Major donors and philanthropists within the community, for possible
naming and investment opportunities that are within their own
community
(6) California Historic Site – may be others interested outside of the
community? The project development should look at a regional level of
interest
(7) If the project developed continuous work and job opportunities, there
may be federal stimulus funding available; it may also be important to
consider LEED certification standards
B. Scenario Development: Scenario A
1. Joint use with the city and the foundation
2. Brings together City Council, Board, Trustees, Rotary, others
3. Public Meeting space
4. Catering kitchen
5. Gardens – this is felt to be really important – could potentially have the local Master
Gardeners program be a part of the garden maintenance?
6. Select Mission/WV College District Offices could be located here
7. Art exhibits – would intend this to be something that ‘doesn’t get in the way’ of the
functions that need to happen
8. Opportunities
a) Fundraising and meet and greet center
b) Potentially have the Foundation provide management and operations – would
potentially have to deed the property to someone other than the college?
c) Historic Foundation could potentially run this facility as they do other facilities
within the community
d) City has the ‘talent and the systems’ set up, but not funding capacity to run this
facility
e) Potential increase to property values
f) LEED on an existing historic building as an interesting proposal
9. Constraints
a) Potentially with all of the joint uses the schedule would fill up pretty quickly and
they may not have much timing for other functions and community use
b) Funding availability
c) Ongoing management and operations
d) Fitting all of the program into the building and scheduling them
(1) City Council – Wednesday nights
(2) College – Monday and Tuesday nights
(3) Rotary – Friday lunch
(4) Community tends to want the weekends for functions
e) Shared use parking – some of these events would potentially be during school
hours
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April 28, 2010
f) Identify seed money to begin the pre-planning activities
10. What is the attraction of this facility to get people excited?
a) It is a community gathering place just like Montalvo (the state owns it and it is
run by the Arts Foundation)
b) Historical significance
c) Naming opportunity
d) A beautiful Community Center that people would want to hold their weddings
there
e) Addition that includes the displays and carries the historic properties through the
site
f) Saratoga/Monte Sereno Community Foundation – could help out with this – there
is a lot of interest
g) Labor Council could be an asset
C. Scenario Development:
1. Other scenarios were discussed, but none were felt to be either viable or preferred, so the
conversation focused mainly on the scenario above.
2. There was great agreement among the group for the identified scenario
V. Conclusion and Feedback
A. Action Items
1. ABA to forward the ‘Steps to Project Development’ slide to attendees
2. ABA to lay out the process of how this could move forward to get through the Visioning
portion of the Project Development
B. Next Steps
1. There is a need to get seed money to get to the conceptual design
2. Business Plan
a) Need a Steering Committee to form – someone would have to have seed money to
get that started and they would have to be dedicated to getting this moving –
responsibilities would need to be defined for this group.
b) Need an Oversight Committee as well – this should be separate from the Steering
Committee – responsibilities would have to be defined for this group but would
be the communications protocol and approval body directly linked to the
leadership of each partner group
3. Define Size of the project through a programming process
4. Design a Successful Fundraising Process
5. What is the cost to get to the first step?
a) Need to define scope and schedule of initial effort
b) Initial thought is that this could be ~$50k to get to the first step of Initial Outreach
and Visioning (based on other projects of similar size and complexity)
6. Need to identify a partner organizations’ Project Manager – this could potentially be from
the Foundation
C. Feedback