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Whitney Wright house project delayed after Oliverio seeks time for talking

By Mary Gottschalk

A proposal to relocate and restore the Whitney Wright home at 744 Morse St. and build two new homes alongside it moved a step closer to reality at the April 25 San Jose Planning Commission meeting. The five commissioners present voted unanimously to recommend the city council approve the planned development request and accept the draft mitigated negative declaration on the property.

The issue was scheduled to go before the city council on May 1, but at the request of Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio, it was deferred.

"This issue is attached with a lot of resentment, and it's pulling the community and neighborhood apart. There should be more collaboration involved," said Denelle Fedor, Oliverio's director of public policy, in explaining why a deferral was requested.

"The councilman will be meeting with representatives of the developers and neighbors to see if anything can be done to allow for everyone to be happy, or at least some people," Fedor said, adding Oliverio hopes by bringing everyone together some of the issues can be resolved.

A compromise will not be easy, judging from the speakers at the planning commission.

Public discussion lasted almost an hour, with 12 neighbors speaking against the project and seven speaking in support.

The 87-year-old, 2,850-square-foot Wright home on Morse, between Naglee Avenue and Emory Street, is one of San Jose's earliest eclectic Colonial Revival structures.

In September 2005, the two-story house and its 4-acre site was purchased for $1,225,000 by brothers Dave and Clyde LeBaron and Mark De Mattei.

The trio planned to tear the house down and build new homes on the property, until the planning department stepped in.

"After meeting with the city and learning it was identified as a possibly historic structure, we decided it would be in our best interests to try and save it, even at an exorbitant cost," Dave LeBaron said.

To make the project financially feasible, LeBaron said they entered into an agreement with the Central YMCA to trade a parcel of land next to 744 Morse for the back part of their lot.

The trade would give the partners additional land fronting Morse to build on, and the YMCA would have room for more than 20 new onsite parking spaces.

Once construction plans and news of the intended land swap became known, many nearby neighbors started marshalling opposition.

Warren Hansen, who with his wife Mimi has lived across the street from the Wright home for more than four decades, has led the opposition, organizing neighborhood meetings and circulating a petition opposing the development.

Hansen has said he'd like the house restored exactly where it is with no new homes added. Failing that, he said he would accept one new house as a compromise.

Mimi Hansen was the first to speak at the hearing, telling commissioners they had gathered "almost 300" signatures on their petition opposing the development.

"We don't want to trade nature's marvels for concrete. This will have a negative impact on our quality of life," she said.

Warren Hansen followed his wife, and asked, "Are you planners going to jeopardize our environment so certain individuals can make money?"

Most speakers in opposition to the development focused on the trees, although some, including Ruth Cavagnaro, said, "Keep the house as is and where it is."

Rawley Douglas, who lives next door to the property and identified himself as a friend of the late Whitney Wright, said if Wright were aware of the plans, he "would turn over in his grave."

Later in the meeting, LeBaron said he has spoken to Wright's son Alan and another child who wanted to remain anonymous.

"They support this project; they are thrilled and way behind this," LeBaron said.

He also addressed complaints about tree removals.

"The trees are as decrepit as the house. This is not an urban forest. The trees have not been properly maintained."

Most of the speakers supporting the project praised the developers for committing to restore the Wright house.

Rick Tawfik, a University Avenue resident, said his children refer to it as "the haunted house. It's dilapidated and ready to fall down."

Referring to the LeBarons and De Mattei, Tawfik said, "These gentlemen live in the neighborhood now and they'll care about what's going to be built there. Preserving the mansion is a big deal."

Architect Pierre Prodis, who lives a block away from the property and is an active supporter of the Central Y, said, "from the Y's perspective, the addition of parking places is an invaluable asset to us."

Prodis called the development "a win-win situation."