For eight years, Apple Inc. founder Steve Jobs has been trying to tear down the 1920s-era Jackling mansion in Woodside so he could build a smaller and more modern home on his Mountain Home Road property.
An earlier demolition permit approved by the Woodside Town Council was thrown out when a judge ruled that Mr. Jobs failed to back up his claim that restoring the house would be financial infeasible, and thus violated the California Environmental Quality Act.
On May 12, the council, on a 6-1 vote, directed town staff to prepare a second demolition permit after Mr. Jobs submitted an application with detailed information about the cost of demolishing the 17,250-square-foot Jackling mansion, and building a new home of 6,000 square feet. Mr. Jobs said the cost of building the new home would be $5 million less than an estimated $13 million to restore the old mansion.
The council meets again on June 9 to decide on approving the permit. Preservationists who successful fought the first permit in court said they will wait to see the staff report before deciding whether to file another lawsuit.
“We continue to hope Mr. Jobs will see reasonable alternatives to destruction of a historic resource, as objective facts have shown it to be historic, restorable and commercially viable,” said attorney Douglas P. Castens of Santa Monica, who is representing Uphold Our Heritage, the group that fought the first demolition permit.
Council vote
The lone dissenter in the council 6-1 vote on May 12 was architect Peter Mason. “I think it’s really sad that we’re going to continue tearing down historic resources in this town,” he said.
During the council’s deliberation, the members were anything but enthusiastic in choosing demolition over preservation.
“I think we could wait and wait and wait until someone comes along” to take it apart and move it, Councilwoman Deborah Gordon said. Such a move would involve taking down power lines, maneuvering on a narrow road, and threatening trees, she added.
Councilman Ron Romines noted that the house is laid out as a summer home with a floor plan not suitable as a principal residence and some “very tiny” bedrooms and bathrooms.
“The plaster’s falling off the house,” he said. “It’s not going to get in any better shape as time goes by.”
Councilman Dave Tanner, who said he has enjoyed restoring Spanish-style colonial homes, agreed with Mr. Romines on the fate of this one if a demolition permit is not forthcoming.
“I think history itself is going to walk all over it,” he said. “Our town is not moving toward large homes. It is moving toward smaller homes.” Mr. Jobs will build a house in keeping with that trend, he said, adding: “I have no problem demolishing this house.”
Howard Ellman, Mr. Jobs’ attorney, said he was “personally offended” by people who say he and Mr. Jobs didn’t try to save the house by selling it and moving it.
The house was “marketed” in national and local newspapers and in This Old House magazine, Mr. Ellman said.
“It would have avoided all this ceremony if we had sold the damn house,” he said. “My client deeply wanted to make a deal to get rid of this house. … I was the guy who had to deal with the 100 people who came forward with their wacky ideas.”
Mr. Carstens, the attorney for the preservationists, countered that the newspaper ads never said the house was for sale, nor did they mention a “reasonable contribution” from Mr. Jobs to defray the costs of the move.
The 30-room Jackling mansion was designed by noted architect George Washington Smith for copper magnate Daniel C. Jackling. Mr. Smith is best known for his Spanish colonial revival buildings in the Santa Barbara area.
Almanac staff writer Andrea Gemmet contributed to this report.
