Gordon Chester
Running for:
Council District 9
Campaign Website:
1) The Preservation Action Council of San Jose (PAC*SJ) was formed in 1990 with concern for the abandonment of Willis Polk's First Church of Christ, Scientist on St. James Square. The continued abandonment has vexed residents and City officials for years. As Councilmember, what actions would you take to hold the current owner accountable for the neglect and re-establish its presence in the St. James Square Historic District? What actions would you take to facilitate its urgently-needed rehabilitation? Do you have a vision for the adaptive reuse of the structure?
Are there other properties on PAC*SJ’s Endangered 8 list, or any other culturally important sites, that you would encourage San Jose to collaborate on revitalization?
The First Church of Christ, Scientist on St. James Square isn’t just another old building to me; it is a landmark that reflects San Jose’s history and helps define one of our most important public spaces. As a Councilmember, I would encourage that district’s councilmember to treat its ongoing neglect as unacceptable, fully enforcing nuisance, safety, and historic preservation laws so the current owner can’t continue “demolition by neglect,” and tying any future approvals or entitlements to a real, enforceable plan to restore this landmark.
I will work with PAC*SJ, preservation experts, neighbors, and partners to bring the church back as a public-facing asset, whether that’s a cultural venue, performance space, or community hub that draws people back to St. James Square and lets residents experience its architecture and history up close. I’ll support incentives and partnerships to make rehabilitation doable, and I’ll bring that same approach to other sites on the Endangered 8 list and culturally important landmarks across our city, especially in neighborhoods whose history has been overlooked for too long.
2) In the past five years alone, at least ten vacant historic buildings in San José have been lost to fire. Often, these properties are left vacant after tenants are displaced in anticipation of future development that may never materialize. Would you support entitlement conditions that would hold property owners accountable? If so, what would those look like?
I support entitlement conditions that hold property owners accountable for the historic properties they own, whether vacant or otherwise. San Jose's General Plan and Historic Preservation Ordinance have established historic preservation as a policy priority, while enforcement mechanisms for neglected or intentionally vacated properties remain weak. Tenant displacement, prolonged vacancy, and fire are not coincidences; in too many cases, they act together as a demolition strategy that sidesteps historic preservation review entirely, and the loss of at least 10 historic buildings in five years is of concern.
Entitlement conditions are a direct tool the city has to stop the pattern of abuse. Any developer seeking rezoning, density bonuses, variances, or planned development approvals should be required to demonstrate active maintenance and secured access to all historic structures on or near the site throughout the entitlement process. Property owners should also be required to post a preservation bond or financial guarantee sufficient to cover emergency stabilization, and San Jose should adopt a formal demolition by neglect ordinance similar to those already in place in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., that treats intentional neglect of a historic structure as a code violation equivalent to unauthorized demolition.
I would also support requiring that vacant historic buildings be activated with interim uses such as community space, artist studios, or nonprofit offices while development is pending. This keeps buildings occupied, maintained, and less vulnerable to arson and vandalism. Entitlement conditions tie a developer's most valuable approvals directly to their role as a property steward, and San Jose should use that leverage to protect the historic value and cultural memory of our communities.
3) California Senate Bill SB 79 was recently signed into law by Governor Newsom, allowing by-right multistory new construction within a half-mile of qualifying transit stops, including 56 in San Jose. Many of these new TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) zones cover areas with high concentrations of historic buildings and pedestrian-scaled commercial corridors. SB 79 specifically allowed cities to exempt locally-designated historic resources from upzoning through the creation of local alternative plans, yet San Jose City Council recently voted not to do so. What do you think the role of the Council should be in exercising local control of planning decisions impacting historic resources?
As a lifelong District 9 resident of 39 years, I have watched southwest San Jose grow and change, and I believe strongly that how we grow matters just as much as how much we grow. As District 9 continues to grow, we must maintain our key historic resources not just as relics of the past, but as anchors of perspective and place-making that define who we are as neighborhoods and as a city. Growth balanced with historic preservation allows us to create density where it truly belongs while honoring our traditions in a more modern context, and that balance is exactly what I believe the Council failed to protect when it declined to pursue the historic resource exemption that SB 79 made available to us.
District 9 is home to some of San Jose’s most architecturally significant Eichler homes, and I believe we should treat them as the midcentury landmarks they are by working directly with homeowners and neighborhood leaders to support sensitive upgrades, share clear information about preservation resources, and adopt policies that protect their unique character and ensure future zoning and redevelopment decisions strengthen rather than erode what makes these neighborhoods special.
I believe the Council's role is to use every tool available to ensure that state housing law and local historic preservation can coexist and complement one another. SB 79 gave us that tool, a local alternative plan, and we should have used it. I would encourage the Council to revisit this decision and work with residents, preservationists, and small business owners in District 9 to develop the kind of locally tailored approach that reflects who we are and where we come from. Smart, responsible land use means building for the future without erasing the past, and that is the balance I will fight for as your District 9 Councilmember.
4) How would you motivate and incentivize the development community to view adaptive reuse of historic structures not as an obstacle, but as a design opportunity? What partnerships do you envision for stewardship of sites and buildings?
As someone who has watched Southwest San Jose evolve over nearly four decades, I believe the development community will follow good incentives, and right now, we are not making adaptive reuse attractive enough to compete with ground-up construction. The Mills Act is a California state law that gives owners of designated historic landmarks significant property tax reductions, often 40 to 60 percent annually, in exchange for a commitment to preserve and maintain their structure. That kind of financial relief changes the math entirely for rehabilitation. The program is active in San Jose. I would like to explore what other City Landmark designations are available throughout District 9 so more property owners can access these benefits and resources. I would also advocate for a dedicated adaptive reuse fast-track permitting process that gives developers who choose preservation priority plan review and reduced fees.
Adaptive reuse is not a constraint; it enables the telling of important community stories. Historic buildings possess a community identity that no new construction can replicate, and in a market where placemaking can drive value, that is a genuine competitive advantage. Paired with the Mills Act and state and federal historic tax credit programs, creative reuse of District 9's historic assets can become an economic driver rather than a burden, and I would actively support public-private design initiatives that help bring them to life.
On partnerships, I would focus on building a collaborative model that brings together the City of San Jose, Santa Clara County, neighborhood associations, and organizations like the Preservation Action Council of San Jose, all working together toward a shared goal. As a lifelong District 9 resident, I know firsthand that our historic assets are not just buildings; they are the story of who we are and where we come from. If we are able to align these partners around better funding strategies and placemaking opportunities, we can find creative ways to activate and celebrate our historic resources while preserving the values that make our neighborhoods worth fighting for. That is the kind of collaborative, community-centered leadership I intend to bring to the District 9 seat.
5) How do you think that preserving historic buildings and districts might contribute to the economic vitality of San Jose by enhancing its distinctive qualities of place, drawing visitors and local residents alike?
The economic case for preserving historic buildings and districts in San Jose is clear. Visitor spending already generates a total economic impact of $3.2 billion annually, supporting over 21,000 jobs and $367 million in state and local tax revenues, and heritage tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of that economy. Properties near local historic districts appreciate at stronger rates than non-designated properties, and adaptive reuse projects can deliver 12 to 15% in construction cost savings over ground-up development. Historic preservation is not just good policy; I believe it can be smart economics.
Most importantly, preservation builds the kind of distinctive sense of place that new construction can’t create. In a time where every city is competing for residents, businesses, and talent, authenticity is a competitive advantage. San Jose already has a rich and layered history; protecting that history is one of the smartest long-term investments we can make. As the District 9 Councilmember, I will not treat historic preservation as a constraint; I will focus on building a more vibrant and economically resilient San Jose for generations to come.