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Home My WebLink AboutBIG BASN WAY 145190 A July 13, 1988 o0 0&M&Xa0& 13777 FRUITVALE AVENUE • SARATOGA. CALIFORNIA 95070 (408) 867 -3438 Mrs. George Kocher 15139 Park Drive Saratoga, CA 95070 Dear Mrs. Kocher: The Saratoga Heritage Preservation completed a comprehensive Inventory of community. We are pleased to notify building at 14519 Big Basin Way meets included on this list. COUNCIL MEMBERS: Karen Anderson Martha Clevenger Joyce Hlava David Moyles Donald Peterson l� Commission has recently historic resources in our you that your commercial the criteria for being The purpose of the Heritage Resource Inventory is to establish a list of documented historic properties in Saratoga. The Heritage Preservation Commission was assigned the responsibility for preparing, the Inventory by the City Council in 1982. Each property on the list has been identified as reflecting and being a part of the unique history of Saratoga. The Inventory has been prepared in accordance with guidelines established by the State Office of Historic Preservation, with data gathered from a variety of sources, including historic documents. and books, interviews with local citizens, and existing county and state inventories that contain information on Saratoga properties. Being listed on the Inventory does not carry any form of special requirements or restrictions affecting the use, improvement, alteration or even the demolition of your property. As an Inventory property, however; you will be able to make use of the State Historic Building Code, an alternative set of building regulations that are intended to facilitate the rehabilitation and preservation of historic buildings. In addition, your property may qualify for designation as a Saratoga Heritage Landmark, a special category of outstanding and exemplary historic properties that are identified in the community by a handsome bronze plaque. We have encicsed the entire Inventory list and the individual Inventory form for your property, which gives information about the building, the property and its history. We would appreciate your review of this form to let us know if there are any changes or additions to the form you wish to include. We also anticipate that there are additional historic resources in the community that we may have overlooked or have not fully documented yet; if you know of any that are not on the list, please let us know. If you have any questions, through., Valerie Young, our One of the Commissioners will the Inventory and answer any Sincerely, please direct them to the Commission staff person at City Hall (867- 3438). be happy to meet with you to discuss questions you may have. `' 1 , Members of the Heritage Preservation Commission Elizabeth Ansnes Roy Cameron Norm Koepernik Shar Landsness Barb"n& Voester rren Heid, Chairman HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY ( #8 ) IDENTIFICATION 1. Common name: Kocher Building 2. Historic name: Green Store Building 3. Street or rural address: 14519 Big Basin Way City: Saratoga 4. Parcel number: 503 -24 -030 5. Present Owner: G. & R. Kocher City: Saratoga Zip: 95070 County: Santa Clara Address: 15139 Park Drive Zip: 95070 Ownership is: Public: Private: X 6. Present Use: Commercial Original Use: Commercial DESCRIPTION 7a. Architectural style: False -front Pioneer 7b. Briefly describe the present physical appearance of the site or structure and describe any major alterations from its original condition: This one -story gabled roof building with its false front facade and balcony treatment gives the appearance of being a two -story structure. The upper facade contains a box cornice with decorative brackets. A large circular window in the center was added in the 1950's, probably for decorative purposes only. The front columns supporting the balcony appear to be original, but the covered area was also added in the 1950's. 7/// . I'd 8. Construction date: Estimated: 1890 Factual: 9. Architect: Unknown 10. Builder: Unknown 11. Approx. prop. size Frontage: 50' iI f Depth: 901 approx. acreage . 12. Date(s) of enclosed photograph(s): 1988 13. Condition: Excellent: Good: X Fair: Deteriorated: No longer in existence: 14. Alterations: Window and balcony added. 15. Surroundings: (Check more than one if necessary) Open land: Scattered buildings: Densely built -up: X Residential: Industrial: Commercial: X Other: 16. Threats to site: None known: X Private development: Zoning: Vandalism: Public Works project: Other: 17. Is the structure: On its original site? X Moved? Unknown? 18. Related features: SIGNIFICANCE 19. Briefly state historical and /or architectural importance (include dates, events, and persons associated with the site). This store is believed to have been built in the early years of the growing and prosperous village. It has long been known as the Green Store Building because of its painted color. It was built by Daniel McCarty, son of Martin McCarty, after whom the original Saratoga village was named. 20. Main theme of the historic resource: (If more than one is checked, number in order of importance.) Architecture: Arts /Leisure: Economic /Industrial: X Exploration /Settlement: Government: Military: Religion: Social /Ed.: 21. Sources (List books, documents, surveys, personal interviews and their dates). Santa Clara County Heritage Resource Inventory, 1975, 1979; F. Cunningham, Saratoga's First Hundred Years, 1967; Santa Clara Valley Sun Magazine, 1977; Butler, Valley of Santa Clara, 1975. 22. Date form prepared: 4/88 By (name): SHPC Organization: City of Saratoga Address: 13777 Fruitvale Ave. City: Saratoga Zip: 95070 Phone: 867 -3438 Locational sketch map (draw and label site and surrounding streets, roads, and prominent landmarks): NORTH LIN 1 S o t " Z r c F° m w 4 S 0 3 3 -`) -9 _ .... _ . ... - . Obituaries— George Kocher, longtime resident Longtime Saratoga resident George Kocher died of pneumonia Feb. 23 in San Jose. He was 90. Mr. Kocher helped with the incorporation of the city of Saratoga. He was a charter member of the Saratoga Rotary Club, served as its second presi- dent and was a Paul Harris Fellow of the club. He and his wife, Raisa, were named grand marshals of the 21st Annual Fall Parade here in 1986. A 1919 graduate of Stanford University where he majored in pre -med, Mr. Kocher's interest turned to architecture. After working for several years on the staff of San Francisco architect Gardner A. Dailey, he opened his own architectural office in San Jose. Seeing a need for affordable housing in Santa Clara Valley, in 1948 he formed Mobile Home Corp. of San Jose and built and sold more than 160 home's within nine months. As head of Kocher Construction Co. he built over 100 homes in the Lansford Tract area of Willow Glen and designed custom homes in Sara- toga on Scotland and Glen Una drives. In addition to single family residences, the company de- signed and built apartment buliffings and commerical struc- tures, including the Kocher building, a complex of specialty shops along Saratoga Creek on Big Basin Way that has served as an example for commerical development in the area. Besides his wife, Raisa, Mr. Kocher is survived by a_ daugh- ter, Mischel Munday of Los Gatos; two sons, Richard of New Jersey and John of Oregon; four grandchildren; two great - grandchildren and one great - great- grandchild. Memorial services were at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Saratoga on Saturday, Feb. 27, under the direction of Darling- Fischer Chapel of the Hills, Los Gatos. Christine Khiziri, and a son -in- law, Mike Khiziri, of Saratoga; three sisters, Helen Johnson of Felton, Sally Weeks of San Jose and Jeanne Brint of Grass Val- ley; and grandsons William and David Khiziri, both of Saratoga. Visitation was at White's Chapel, Santa Cruz, and inter- ment was in Santa Cruz Memorial Park Mausoleum.