While it appears that everyone else has given up, resident Chris Parkinson is on a mission to save the Pearson House and turn it into the art museum.
Parkinson announced that he wanted to raise funds to relocate it and turn it into an art museum, something he says the city lacks. Shortly after the City Council voted on Jan. 29 not to repurpose the 1880s home as affordable housing or a city employee dorm, at a cost of $65,000 to move it and $857,000 to restore it. That leaves the fate of the home of early Mountain View businessman Charles Pearson in the hands of developer Roger Burnell. Burnell is set to build a four-story office on the property at 902 Villa Street and wants the home moved or demolished soon.
Parkinson, who works in real estate and is the chair of the city's visual arts committee, has enlisted the support of Mountain View artist Alexander Dzigurski II.
"As a lifetime Mountain View resident, I think the city is sorely lacking for the visual arts," Dzigurski told the Voice, adding that the city "definitely needs" an art museum.
Burnell told the Council on Jan. 29 that any delays to his project could come with significant costs, but said in an email Tuesday that he is exploring the idea of relocating the 1,100 square foot home for an art museum.
"We have been working since late last evening, and again since 5 a.m. today to see how it could be done," Burnell said. "There are many technical, timing, and political/legal hoops that would have to be navigated, but at the same time I have art in both my background and patronage, so we are doing whatever we can to see if this plan can gain realistic traction."
Parkinson is hoping that art collectors will want to pitch in to raise nearly $1 million to move and restore the home. Dzigurski's oil paintings of the Big Sur coastline and Yosemite Valley have fetched as much as $12,000 a piece, and he's planning to donate three of them to be auctioned in a fund-raising efforts for the museum. Parkinson notes that the sort of folks who have bought Dzigurski's paintings include a Saudi prince and "wealthy people up and down the Peninsula."
Parkinson said the Pearson House could be moved to one of two city-owned lots on Shoreline Boulevard near Eagle Park. That is where council members expressed a preference for relocating the tiny "Immigrant House" that also sits on the property Burnell is trying to redevelop.
The immediate challenge will be quickly getting City Council support for the move to a piece of city land and then coming up with money to move the home.
"There is an opportunity to save a historic piece of Mountain View and convert it to a lasting legacy for the visual arts," Dzigurski said. "It's a win-win situation."
Comments
Jackson Park
on Feb 7, 2013 at 2:42 pm
on Feb 7, 2013 at 2:42 pm
Excellent idea! The Pearson House with its wonderful history and inviting front porch has been a favorite house of mine for decades. I hoping that the art collectors/lovers can make this happen -- thank you!
Slater
on Feb 7, 2013 at 4:53 pm
on Feb 7, 2013 at 4:53 pm
The historical society couldn't raise enough for their museum after years of fundraising so there's little hope for the art lovers (who lack an existing 501c3 organization like the historical society) to raise money for the art museum within the very tight timeframe that the developer needs to get this house off the land.
Gemello
on Feb 7, 2013 at 4:55 pm
on Feb 7, 2013 at 4:55 pm
What happened? Just last week:
Burnell said he was "passionately opposed" to the city's recommendation that a final attempt be made to find someone by March 1 who would willing to relocate the Pearson House.
Shoreline West
on Feb 8, 2013 at 10:03 am
on Feb 8, 2013 at 10:03 am
Whatever happens, I hope they come up with a plan for that house SOON. I drive past it every day and it just falls into further disrepair the longer these discussions go on. Sure, it's fenced off but the elements are not kind. An art museum would be great, but if they can't fundraise the money quickly, they should demolish that house and move on with the new building plans.
Willowgate
on Feb 9, 2013 at 9:31 am
on Feb 9, 2013 at 9:31 am
This is up to many uber superb people in our midst. I can only hope this happens. I wish I had the "check" for a million to say here you are, but my family is not that kind of family, but what I am is a hard working strategist with my MBA thankfully who taught me to think big, find teams of people, strategies, think positively even in light of despair.
I just got back form saving my 82 years old brother in law, yes my family is all older than I am. He had a novel treatment out of UC Davis for dysphonia (he has no volume in his voice) where they inject a fluid (I believe collagen) into the vocal tissue to fatten them up. When he was lying there ready to be discouraged I noticed his diastolic pressure was rising form 85 to over 100. The doctor told him to not take his blood pressure medicine. I said with 3 hours (they live in Lake don Pedro and rush hour down 99) he is not ready to be discharged and he needs his blood pressure pill. It took 2 hours for them to finally give it to him where his diastolic pressure went back to 85. Not great but not rising. I bring this free story to you to save the life of your elderly loved ones. Don't allow discharge of them if their diastolic pressure is rising. All it takes is administer blood pressure medicine. He cant talk until 1 pm today. I hope to hear his lions voice again. I bring this story to you why I do what I do, keep the fires running in places where there is no voice. This right he saves lives, how much is it worth.
I hope we can do all of this, the Pearson House deserves to be a home again, a home for an Art Museum. Our fundraising is essential, whomever likes this idea, please help. Not for my sake, I go on, for this homes sake, I am only one person. Please do what you can if its already not too late. The current home owner is typical in wanting cash right now. I have a ti for Mr. Burnell. With my MBA skills I can help his corporation to become SEC registered where A FIRNA broker can sell bonds and his corporate stock has public worth. That level of consulting is worth about $100,000. I will do this for $65,000 and do it fast and Mr. Burnell's corporation suddenly has a new life injection. If he is non profit, there is little I can do for him.
Thus we wait for the sale of significant and rare pieces of art for raining significant money. City Hall steps. Maybe the Carmel curators are there. Maybe Mr. Dzigursky himself is there to sign things. Maybe this Newspaper and the San Jose Mercury, ABC local News etc announce the art benefit sale. That's it. Can we form a team of laser focused people. Or are we just seeing if one person can fail. Its the house folks, its not about me.
Willowgate
on Feb 9, 2013 at 9:35 am
on Feb 9, 2013 at 9:35 am
Man. I am exhausted. Sorry: from not form, and discharged not discouraged. tip not ti
Willowgate
on Feb 9, 2013 at 9:52 am
on Feb 9, 2013 at 9:52 am
One more thing, the current property owner can make money today by selling off the virgin lumber, the house piece by piece.
If you think historical homes are significant in our wonderful city, and we need an art museum to start to keep our heritage to art one step a head of our current capacity, its time to help.
Willowgate
on Feb 10, 2013 at 3:34 am
on Feb 10, 2013 at 3:34 am
Two things to make this work and start this whole process.
1. I need at least 7 board members for the non profit to begin. That means names, addresses, and phone numbers. If you have desire and experience to sit on a board contact me at parkinson.chris@att.net
2. A use permit needs to be taken out. I have no problem on Monday to doing that assuming the nonprofit starts happens on Monday as well.
Once that happens, the significant fundraising can begin.
another community
on Feb 10, 2013 at 7:07 am
on Feb 10, 2013 at 7:07 am
Ideas here.
Sell Memberships, let's say 100 dollars a year.
Donate money for a room or some part of the house.
Sell brick pavers to put down on paths.
Have a Art Guild, we have CSMA, we have so much talent here.
Art and Wine acution to raise money.
Willowgate
on Feb 12, 2013 at 2:07 pm
on Feb 12, 2013 at 2:07 pm
Garret good ideas, you willing to sit on the board of the non profit? The big money comes from foundations who are sitting on piles of cash to fund museums like this.
Shoreline West
on Feb 15, 2013 at 5:47 pm
on Feb 15, 2013 at 5:47 pm
I have been looking at that house since I was a small child. I sure hope they save it. A house built in the 1800's in Mountain View is rare, I mean not many of them left. Before they move or demolish the house, They should comb the house and land with metal detectors. There could be tons of old coins and relics buried in the ground there. A friend of mine found a $10 gold U.S.coin and Indian Head Pennies at an old house around the same age at the subject house.