Publication Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Grounds for preservation?
Grounds for preservation?
(June 22, 2005) Popular downtown cafe is long gone, but the loyalty remains
by Jocelyn Dong
Could history revive Caffe Verona, the defunct but beloved downtown meeting spot where entrepreneurs and neighborhood folk once gathered?
Like the smell of freshly roasted coffee beans, that's the question floating in the air these days. On Thursday, the city's Historic Resources Board will receive an update from city staff on the historical status of the building, which has been vacant since the popular Hamilton Avenue caffeine spot closed nearly two years ago.
Redevelopment plans are in the works.
Though the report will not determine the historical merits of the building -- or the possibility of preserving its high-ceiling -- it's expected to clarify the process the building must undergo before being redeveloped.
A member of the public, who earlier this month pleaded with the board to save the 1920 Mission Revival-style building, triggered the update.
"It has a wonderful feel to it. It's one of the few places the public can go with a vaulted ceiling and sky roof. I'd like to see it preserved, and I'd like to see it stay a coffee shop," Palo Alto resident Danielle Martell said.
The 85-year-old building has a colorful history, according to Dennis Backlund, the city's historic preservation planner. It was constructed as a drive-through "feed and fuel" store, and also housed a shoeshine parlor, jewelry shop and piano store at various times. Some of the original architecture, such as doors and windows, are known to be intact; however, a complete historical review has not been conducted.
In May 2004, the building was sold to Banatao Heritage Trust. Diosdado Banatao is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and the managing partner of Tallwood Venture Capital in Palo Alto. As of last fall, project plans indicated the site would be redeveloped as the four-story headquarters for the VC firm. It would also include a restaurant -- possibly a café -- on the ground floor.
But the soaring ceilings that pleased Verona fans were not in the plans. Some historic preservation was: The façade of the building would be saved, and the new 50-foot building constructed 10 feet behind it.
According to Backlund, the building is not in the city's historic registry, which places special protections on structures deemed historically significant. It is, however, a "potential" site for the California Register of Historical Resources.
Under state law, when such a "potentially" historic building is considered for redevelopment, it must either undergo a historic review to determine its merits or else it will be assumed to be historic. Plans for redevelopment would then be reviewed to make sure the new design would not detract from whatever historically significant elements the building may possess.
The architect for the Banatao project, Tony Carrasco, was unavailable for comment early this week.
Last fall, a subcommittee of the city's Architectural Review Board heard a presentation on the project, the only review given the proposed development to date. Board members Kenneth Kornberg and David Solnick generally complimented the plan, especially the idea of contrasting old and new architectural styles.
The historic board meeting will be held at 8 a.m. Thursday, in the council chambers inside City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave. According to Backlund, board members will not be taking action Thursday, because the developer must first decide whether to conduct a historical review. But the board can request to be kept apprised of reports as they're completed, and take action at a future date.
Senior Staff Writer Jocelyn Dong can be reached at jdong@paweekly.com.
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