On March 28, 2021, dozens of people lined Reed Street in downtown San Jose to watch the two-story Pallesen apartment building moved about three blocks to a vacant lot next to a freeway on-ramp. On Saturday — five years to the day since the move — Habitat for Humanity handed a ceremonial key to the first residents of the historic four-unit building.
“We’re so proud to have given this building a new lease, or shall I say, mortgage on life,” said Krys Morgenthaler, chief development officer for Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. “Not only are we preserving this building, we have transformed it into affordable ownership housing. That truly is a reason to celebrate.”
Silvano Diaz and Aurora Martinez, who attended the grand opening Saturday, will soon be moving into one of the two-bedroom units. Their daughter, Elizabeth Diaz, shared remarks on her mother’s behalf, saying, “Standing here today in this home, I feel full of gratitude. This is more than just a house. It’s a dream that took years of sacrifice, hard work and faith.”
County of Santa Clara officials, guests and Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers tour the renovated historic Pallesen Apartments building, which was saved from demolition and converted into four units of affordable housing in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, March 28, 2025. Five years ago, the building was moved to a nearby property owned by the City of San Jose. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Former homeowner Carol Sisney, left, stands next to new homeowners Silvano Diaz and Aurora Martinez after they received the symbolic keys to one of the renovated, historic Pallesen Apartments in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, March 28, 2025. The building, which was moved to a nearby property owned by the city of San Jose, was saved from demolition and converted into four units of affordable housing. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
County of Santa Clara officials, guests and Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers tour the renovated historic Pallesen Apartments building, which was saved from demolition and converted into four units of affordable housing in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, March 28, 2025. Five years ago, the building was moved to a nearby property owned by the City of San Jose. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
County of Santa Clara officials, guests and Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers tour the renovated historic Pallesen Apartments building, which was saved from demolition and converted into four units of affordable housing in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, March 28, 2025. Five years ago, the building was moved to a nearby property owned by the City of San Jose. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
County of Santa Clara officials, guests and Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers tour the renovated historic Pallesen Apartments building, which was saved from demolition and converted into four units of affordable housing in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, March 28, 2025. Five years ago, the building was moved to a nearby property owned by the City of San Jose. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
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County of Santa Clara officials, guests and Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers tour the renovated historic Pallesen Apartments building, which was saved from demolition and converted into four units of affordable housing in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, March 28, 2025. Five years ago, the building was moved to a nearby property owned by the City of San Jose. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
The family later spent time talking to Carol Sisney, whose grandparents, Jack and Agnes Reding, lived in the one of the building’s four units starting in 1941 and lasting until Agnes’ death in 1990. They also took photos with Assemblymember Ash Kalra and Supervisor Betty Duong, who grew up nearby on Fifth Street.
The 1910 building, designed by San Jose architects Wolfe & McKenzie, had quite a journey to its new home — and it took elected officials at many levels, nonprofit organizations, corporate developers, individuals and even Google to bring it to fruition. When U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo was still mayor of San Jose, he called Habitat for Humanity with the idea of moving the building — which was set to be torn down to make way for a 23-story residential high rise — to a vacant surplus lot the city owned, which it would sell to the nonprofit for $1.
That started the ball rolling, but there were a lot of bumps on the way.
The Preservation Action Council of San Jose was part of the effort to save the building from the wrecking ball, starting in 2019, and launched a $300,000 fundraising campaign to help pay for the 900-foot move — which came out to about 25 cents an inch. Then-Councilmember Raul Peralez helped hold the deal together as construction deadlines loomed, the development changed hands and plans were revised.
SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: The century-old Pallesen apartment building is moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street, fast becoming a neighborhood of high-rise developments, to a spot three blocks east in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, March 28, 2021, where it will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA – March 7: Mike Sodergren of San Jose’s Preservation Action Council visits the underbelly of the Pallesen apartment building, Sunday, March 7, 2021, before it is raised off its foundation and relocated down Reed Street in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: Street lights are cleared out o the way of a century-old Pallesen apartment building as it is being moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street, to a spot three blocks east in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, March 28, 2021, where it will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: The century-old Pallesen apartment building is moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street, fast becoming a neighborhood of high-rise developments, to a spot three blocks east in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, March 28, 2021, where it will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: The century-old Pallesen apartment building is moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street, fast becoming a neighborhood of high-rise developments, to a spot three blocks east in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, March 28, 2021, where it will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: The century-old Pallesen apartment building is moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street in San Jose, Calif., to a new spot three blocks east next to the 280 on-ramp, Sunday, March 28, 2021. It will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: The century-old Pallesen apartment building is moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street in San Jose, Calif., to a new spot three blocks east next to the 280 on-ramp, Sunday, March 28, 2021. It will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: A street light is spun out of the way of a century-old Pallesen apartment building as it is being moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street, to a spot three blocks east in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, March 28, 2021, where it will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
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SAN JOSE, CA – March 28: The century-old Pallesen apartment building is moved from its century-old location on East Reed Street, fast becoming a neighborhood of high-rise developments, to a spot three blocks east in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, March 28, 2021, where it will be converted into Habit for Humanity homes. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Once the building was moved, the long process began of transforming the railroad-style, one bedroom flats into two-bedroom units with modern touches that still maintained the building’s historic character. That included removing, repairing and replacing the building’s tin roof tiles — which look like clay — and maintaining the original window casings, matching the stucco and preserving quirks like porthole windows.
A central stairway leading to the upstairs units was created out of the original twin stairways, allowing the units to pick up some square footage. The treads from the old staircases were converted into shelves for two of the units.
“We really did our best to preserve all the exterior elements of the building so that it maintained the architectural significance it had back in 1910,” said Rob Simonds, director of housing development for Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. Santa Clara County contributed $1 million in Measure A funds, and Google and the Housing Trust helped Habitat for Humanity secure construction financing for the project.
The 111-year-old Pallesen apartment building is prepared for relocation, Wednesday, March 17, 2021, away from the growing high-rises in downtown San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Standing inside a unit of the Pallesen apartment building, Sunday, March 7, 2021, Gayle Frank and Mike Sodergren of San Jose’s Preservation Action Council discuss the historical building’s upcoming move in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Original built-in cabinetry is being saved inside the Pallesen apartment building, Sunday, March 7, 2021, as the historical structure is prepared for relocation in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Mike Sodergren of San Jose’s Preservation Action Council prepares to enter a unit of the Pallesen apartment building, Sunday, March 7, 2021, as the historical structure is prepared for relocation in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
A crew member from Kelly Brothers House Movers cleans up under the elevated Pallesen apartment building in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, March 23, 2021, as preparations for its relocation continue in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Mike Sodergren of San Jose’s Preservation Action Council finds an old book in the crawlspace under the Pallesen apartment building, Sunday, March 7, 2021. The group is spearheading an effort to save and relocate the historical structure in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Mike Sodergren of San Jose’s Preservation Action Council peers out the window of a closet window inside a unit of the Pallesen apartment building, Sunday, March 7, 2021. The group has help spearhead an effort to save and relocate the historical building’ in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
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The 111-year-old Pallesen apartment building is prepared for relocation, Wednesday, March 17, 2021, away from the growing high-rises in downtown San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Mike Sodengren, PACSJ’s board president, called the building “the physical embodiment” of the nonprofit’s mission to preserve the city’s architectural and cultural heritage. “The important thing about saving these buildings is saving not just them but the stories they tell,” he said.
INSPIRATION FOR BREAKFAST: John Ehrbar has been president and CEO of the YMCA of Silicon Valley for only a few months, but he said Friday morning that it didn’t take long to see the value of Project Cornerstone, one of its signature initiatives.
“I saw a region that doesn’t just talk about youth development, it actually invests in our youth, supports our youth and shows up for them,” he said at the program’s annual Assets Champions breakfast in Campbell. “And one of the most visible ways this happens is through YMCA’s Project Cornerstone, which is truly a movement woven deeply into the community.”
He’s right about that. The program aims to create positive change in schools and youth-centered organizations — reaching more than 62,000 youth every year. Friday’s breakfast was about celebrating those schools, nonprofits and individuals who set the standard — and they all got a treat in hearing from the keynote speaker, Golden State Valkyries Coach Natalie Nakase, who talked about using joy as a leadership strategy.
“You can be silly and funny and still be competitive,” she said.
This year’s honorees were Joanne Bui of the San Jose Unified School District (Adult Role Model), Sartorette Elementary in San Jose (Caring Elementary School Climate), Peterson Middle School in Santa Clara (Caring Middle School Climate), Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill (Caring High School Climate), Children’s Musical Theater San Jose (Community Values Youth) and Ida Jew Academy/Valle Vista Elementary (Positive Cultural Identity).
This year’s Youth Role Model was Brandon Pang, a senior at Homestead High in Cupertino, who started FruitSharing with his friend, Bellarmine senior Jacob Su. The volunteer-driven nonprofit has donated more than 25,000 lbs. of fresh fruit and produce collected from backyard gardens.
SPRING CLEANING: San Jose City Hall wasn’t the place to find city employees on Thursday. About 600 of them — decked out in matching T-shirts — were scattered throughout the city working on hands-on volunteer projects.
Some of them were making blankets for the city’s Animal Center or serving lunch at one of San Jose’s senior centers. Others got their hands dirty by planting trees, painting murals or picking up trash along park trails. Even City Manager Jennifer Maguire and several councilmembers donned their “One Team, One City, One Community Day of Service” T-shirts to help out.
GTC LEFTOVERS: This month’s Nvidia GTC brought thousands of people to downtown San Jose for the global AI conference — and nonprofit Hunger at Home made sure they didn’t let a ton of food go to waste. In fact, they made sure that nearly 6 tons of food was recovered.
Through a partnership with Team San Jose, which operates the San Jose McEnery Center and other venues GTC used, Hunger at Home rescued 9,650 meals that were generated but went uneaten during the conference. The meals were immediately distributed to hungry individuals and families through a nonprofit network that includes Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen, Sacred Heart Community Service, City Team Ministries and HomeFirst.
HOMETOWN HEROES: There’s a ceremony planned for 1 p.m. Monday at the Sons of San Jose memorial to mark the 13th anniversary of the monument’s unveiling at the Guadalupe River Park’s Arena Green. The memorial honors the 142 San Jose residents who were killed during the Vietnam War.
Angela Tirado will perform the National Anthem at the ceremony, which is expected to be attended by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Liccardo, as well as an honor guard unit from the U.S. Air Force. You can find out more about the monument and its creation at www.sjwarmemorial.com.