The Ionic columns of the historic First Church of Christ, Scientist building in San Jose, Calif., are once again visible, Tuesday, August 29, 2023, as Arturo Alvarez and Andres Ramirez of BrandSafway Scaffolding remove the protective covering that has obscured the historic 1905-era building for nearly five years. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose City Councilmember Omar Torres tells me the city won’t be moving forward with any action against Jim Salata, the CEO of Garden City Construction who led a crew to remove the tattered tarp from downtown’s historic but dilapidated First Church of Christ, Scientist.
Salata must have ruffled some feathers at City Hall in late August when crews removed the shredded black plastic that earned the building the nickname “Trash Bag Church.” Torres told this news organization city staff informed him that Salata didn’t have permission to enter the property to do the work — though he had a code to open the gate because of previous work he’d done on the site — and the city was considering fining him for trespassing.
The idea of punishing someone for doing a job demanded by both Mayor Matt Mahan and Torres just a few days previously came as a surprise — and was seen by some as a slap in the face to Salata for his act of “vigilante restoration.”
Torres says he’d like to one day meet Salata — who was a vocal supporter of his opponent Irene Smith in last November’s election — and hopes everyone can move forward and find a good resolution for the site. The former church overlooking St. James Park, which has been at the center of myriad redevelopment projects since 1990, is on a site owned by Z&L Properties, a China-based real estate company whose principal executive, Zhang Li, is ensnared in a San Francisco bribery scandal.
Salata says he has yet to hear from the city on the matter, and in this case that sounds like a good thing.
HISTORIC OCTOBER: It’s shaping up to be a history-filled month in San Jose. On Tuesday, the San Jose City Council declared October to be Italian American Heritage Month. Architect Sal Caruso, who designed the new Italian Cultural Center and Museum in Little Italy, has been leading the charge for this designation for years. Joined by representatives from Little Italy San Jose and the Italian American Heritage Foundation, he spoke about his own family’s past as immigrants and his hope for what the future could bring — including a Unity Festival that could celebrate all of the city’s cultures.
That wasn’t the only history-making statement by the council on Tuesday, as it also declared October to be Filipino American History Month, with representatives from Filipino Americans Coming Together (FACT) in attendance. They’ll be part of a Filipino American History Month celebration at 5 p.m. Oct. 20 at the San Jose Flea Market’s Garden at the Flea.
And don’t forget it’s also the last two weeks of Hispanic Heritage Month, which started Sept. 16.
CHECK IT OUT: October also is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and there’s a special event in Los Gatos this weekend to provide some of that awareness. Three women are joining forces to make this happen: Dr. Kamakshi Zeidler of surgery and dermatology practice Aesthetx, which is sponsoring the event; Linda McGrath, owner of YogaSource, which will lead pilates and yoga sessions; and Julie Youkilis, co-owner of Loma Brewing Co., where it’s being held.
A portion of all proceeds from the event, Flex & Chill, will go toward launching the Valley Health Foundation’s new Dr. Zeidler Breast Cancer Fund, which will provide gift cards and transportation assistance to encourage low-income women to come in for mammograms. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 130 N. Santa Cruz Ave. in Los Gatos.
MAUI BENEFITS: Artist Trieu Hai Dao has an exhibition, “Reality v. Expectation,” opening Oct. 7 at Citadel Art Gallery in San Jose, featuring more than 100 new paintings and sculptures. His intention is to donate a portion of sales, including all the proceeds from one of those paintings, a 24-by-30 inch acrylic painting, “Maui Beach,” to support relief efforts in Maui following August’s wildfire tragedy. The opening reception is from 1 to 6 p.m., and the gallery is at 199 Martha St.
Meanwhile, there’s a musical fundraiser to benefit American Red Cross Maui Relief at the Cats, the iconic Los Gatos tavern and barbecue joint on Highway 17, on Oct. 8 from noon to 4 p.m. Admission’s free, but 10 percent of sales during the event will be donated by the Cats owners and cash and check donations to the Red Cross also will be accepted. Some of the musicians performing include Beggars Opera; Jim Stevens & Friends; Sum of Us; Jimmy Tone; Lance Handorf with Louis Shay; Jenny Stave; Steve Kritzer; and Cats regular Joe Ferrara.
Originally published at Sal Pizarro