November 4, 2005

Mirassou Winery site added to San Jose’s Historic Resources Inventory

By Bea Baechle
Editor

The City of San Jose’s Historic Landmarks Commission voted unanimously on Nov. 2 to add the entire 15-acre Mirassou Winery site to the City of San Jose’s Historic Resources Inventory.

The Mirassou family once owned 700 acres of vineyards in Evergreen and produced wine in this historic winery. Today, about half an acre of grapes remain, and the winery stands vacant.

Situated near the corner of Ruby Avenue and Aborn Road, the remaining Mirassou property includes winery buildings and the original residence of Peter Mirassou, grandson of Pierre Pellier, who sailed from France to the United States in 1854. The property serves as a legacy of America’s oldest winemaking family.

Although just a handful of Evergreen residents made it to City Hall that night in a show of support for adding the property to the Historic Resources Inventory, HLC Chairperson Mike Youmans indicated that a stack of e-mails supporting the addition made its way before the seven-member commission prior to the meeting.

Rabia Chaudhry, representing the District 8 City Council office, also voiced her support to place the property on the City’s Historic Resources Inventory.

It was noted at the meeting that the Mirassou family once owned 700 acres of vineyards in the Evergreen. Today, about half an acre of grapes remain.

Mirassou Trust seeks continuance
Just one day prior to the meeting, the law firm Berliner Cohen sent a letter to the Historical Landmarks Commission requesting a “continuance to conduct historical survey on the former Mirassou Winery buildings.”

Representing Richard H. Lambie, trustee for the Edmund and Mildred Mirassou Trust, the law firm stated their client did not receive sufficient notice of the City’s proposal to add the site to the Historic Resources Inventory and therefore did not have enough time to analyze and respond to the proposal.

The firm also requested the extension to allow their client the opportunity to consult with a historical architect to conduct an updated and accurate historical study of the various buildings on the Mirassou Winery property.

The letter stated “Based upon the Trust’s preliminary discussions with a historical architect, we believe that further study will find that the residence constructed on the property in 1924 and the winery building constructed on the property in 1937 have historical value, and the Trust is looking into preservation of those buildings.”

However, the Trust feels that the 1990 evaluation of the property that the Commission used to make a decision is not reflective of the conditions at the Mirassou Winery Property today.

The letter proposed presenting the Commission with an updated historical analysis that clarifies the relative historical value of the various buildings on site. The Trust feels that an updated study would assist the Commission and city staff to be in a better position to assess the buildings onsite and to focus on adding the buildings to the Historical Resources Inventory, not the entire property.

Despite these concerns, the Historical Landmarks Commission approved the proposal to add the entire property to the Historic Resources Inventory.

According to District 8 Councilmember Dave Cortese, the next step is to work on the process for designating these structures as official city landmarks. This will require additional research and analysis to determine the historical significance of the 15-acre site and the buildings located therein.